


Winter's Time

by DrowningOstrich



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Plot, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2014-06-01
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 141,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningOstrich/pseuds/DrowningOstrich
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For three hundred years, no one took much notice of Jack. But now he's not the only one who is wondering WHY. As the Guardians come together around their winter child, they discover so much more to the story… and the answer may very well hold the entire world in the balance. Full plot, not one-shots. H/C, Fluff, Adventure, Family (no pairings).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Jack Frost did not like the heat, and he did not like being stuck on the ground.

These mere inconveniences paled in comparison to the other torments he was currently experiencing.

Like the pain.

And the sight of his own blood, pooling around him.

And the weariness so complete he couldn't even move his eyelids to close over aching blue irises.

But worst of all, the despair he had been keeping at bay over the last several weeks- and centuries before that. Now it all seemed worse, however. Because somehow he had crawled to a place of hope in recent weeks. And defeat tastes most bitter if it follows happiness.

As the dying winter spirit watched the brilliantly red liquid mix with the brilliantly red sand of the Australian desert, he allowed himself to think something he had forbidden himself to feel, buried under guilt and self-loathing.

This is so unfair.

As his eyes dulled and finally closed, the last conscious thought filling his mind was that even if the hope of a second chance had been a cruel joke… he didn't regret trying. The weeks after he had taken his Guardian oath had been the best he could ever remember.

And it was those memories he chose to cling to now, even as he lost it all.


	2. New Life: All Hail the Kings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: For three hundred years, no one took much notice of Jack. But now he's not the only one who is wondering WHY. As the Guardians come together around their winter child, they discover so much more to the story… and the answer may very well hold the entire world in the balance. Full plot, not one-shots. H/C, Fluff, Adventure, Family (no pairings).
> 
> Skip this author's note if you just want to read the story, not *about* the story.
> 
> I spent a couple of months plotting out this story. After reading a LOT of fabulous one-shot collections, I realized something. As wonderful as they are, they often leave me feeling melancholy, simply because I don't feel the connection between many of the sad things in Jack's past with the purpose of his present. And while I do like that kind of storytelling, I wanted to do something different.
> 
> But like everyone else, I had a million little world-building and backstory ideas. Was there a way to tie them together with an overall plot?
> 
> I guess we'll see! The biggest questions I wanted the plot to answer are:
> 
> \- Why did Jack have to go through 300 years of loneliness? Is the Man in the Moon really a jerk, or just careless, or…? No, none of those answers satisfied me.
> 
> \- What explanation is there for the relationship between MIM and Pitch? While I love the Guardians of Childhood books so far, I didn't feel their backstory quite fit with the movieverse. So I created my own version.
> 
> \- What is Jack's role in everything, really?
> 
> \- How do the Guardians learn more about Jack now that they are working together, and how do they all come together as a family?
> 
> \- How many possible ways can I torture our little Frostbite? Heheheeee… ^_^
> 
> Two last comments.
> 
> One: none of the Guardians will be involved in romance. I really see them as a family to each other, and I'm not interested in adding OC love interests.
> 
> Two: There are going to be other spirits/beings in this, but I've tried to only add those that move the Guardian-centric plot forward. I hope I don't do too terrible of a job introducing and using these characters. Some of them are going to be fairly important. :/
> 
> On to the awkward beginning!

E. Aster Bunnymund did not like the cold and he did not like flying.

The fact that he was enduring both at the moment would usually have him in a foul mood, his companions subject to a litany of grumbling. Having just survived a terrifying battle with their oldest enemy and rekindled the belief and hope in the children of the world seemed to have mellowed him, however, as they left Burgess behind and made their way back to Santoff Clausen.

North was grateful. For the first time since this whole thing had started, Bunny seemed at peace with the way things had turned out. At peace- no, _surprised_ at his own happiness- with the inclusion of a certain winter spirit to their team, North reflected. He glanced with a smile to the relatively silent back seat of his sleigh, his fellow Guardians sitting on the tiered benches.

Jack Frost finally moved forward from the very back of the flying contraption where he had been dangling, trying to keep the children of Burgess in sight as long as possible. North noticed Bunny, who was clenching the seat, relax slightly when the winter child had all limbs safely within the vehicle. Tooth and Sandy exchanged an amused glance.

As Jack turned back to the group of Guardians, his face was content, his smile peaceful, and North found he liked that previously unseen look on the youngest Guardian very much. He had found it deeply troubling to learn that this playful spirit he had overlooked in the past had such ingrained self-doubt. All the boy's flickering expressions over the past few days, the careless words and confused reactions painted a painful picture that North had wanted to erase and replace with the strength he just _knew_ \- in his belly- lay underneath. He didn't think he was alone in these feelings, as he noticed the expression on Tooth's face when Jack moved closer to her.

Reaching back into his blue hoodie, the pale youth gently pulled out Baby Tooth and handed the little sleeping fairy to her mistress with a slightly apologetic look.

"She's a brave little fighter," Jack murmured. "I wish… I could have protected her better," he finished, avoiding eye contact.

Toothiana's expression turned its softest as Jack made his hesitant confession.

"I think she chose her Guardian well," was all she said as she cradled her small charge. The boy's complicated half smile in response reminded North that insecurity, deeply rooted, was not removed in a few days, no matter how life-changing.

Bunny rolled his eyes and tugged the standing Guardian down by his hoodie.

"Oy, sit down, you're making me dizzy just looking at ya, ready to get blown outta this crazy contraption at the first bump."

Jack's smile turned from insecure to wry and mischievous in an instant.

"Aw, Bunny…" he started, only to have Tooth chime in for the rest of the sentence they all saw coming.

"You do care!"

Bunny gave an aggrieved sigh while the rest of the group laughed (Sandy silently), as they finally released some of the pent up tension the last several days had built up. As Jack settled in his seat and turned back to Tooth and Sandy with a new topic ("Is this the usual way you all get around for Guardian business, or do you sometimes take Sandy's cloud or Bunny's tunnels?"), he unconsciously leaned a little against Bunny, who had propped himself up against the side of the sleigh with a slightly sulky expression.

That expression suddenly froze at the contact, and he snuck a glance at the boy next to him, surprise, uncertainty and a little bit of wonder in his eyes.

North's eyebrows climbed a little higher as he glanced again at the scene behind him. Bunny, who claimed to hate the cold, remained still and didn't pull back from supporting the winter spirit. A couple of short days ago, the large man reflected, the Easter Guardian would have shoved him away or laughed in triumph as he twisted his furry body and let the "pest" fall to the floor.

Instead, Bunny's eyes sharpened, his nose twitched and his head tilted slightly, all senses honed in on Jack as if trying to understand something that puzzled him still.

The moment was quickly over however, as Jack seemed to realize what he was doing and jumped slightly away, wide eyes cringing subtly as they meet Bunny's.

Bunny frowned and broke eye contact for a moment at his newest team member's instinctual flinch-and-wince reaction, then the grey warrior crossed his arms and gave a snort.

"It's not like I can get any colder, ya gumby, flying through this frigid air in an _open_ sleigh at ridiculously high altitudes…" and the group settled back into a comfortable banter as the Pooka went off on a familiar tangent.

Yes, North chuckled to himself as his home came into view and he began angling for a landing, things were changing for their little group with the addition of this frost child and the many wondrous qualities he possessed. The only thing the large Guardian was certain of after the past few days was… it was going to be a learning experience. But at least it promised to be Fun.

**_-ROTG-_ **

Sandy floated from the sleigh, safely back at the Pole, and realized he had a frosty shadow hovering by his elbow. He floated forward a few feet and Jack moved to match him. As the smaller golden spirit turned slightly to send his follower a questioning look, he saw Jack's attention was actually on the fierce reindeer currently being unhitched by North's yetis. And then on Tooth's iridescent, buzzing wings. And then Jack gave a short, happy laugh as he watched Bunny all but tumble from the sleigh.

The winter spirit, Sandy mused as he recalled their recent adventure, was highly distractible. But as he floated closer to the door leading to the workshop, matched inch by inch by the boy, he recognized there was more to it than that. There was an earnestness as well. Although why it was currently directed towards _him_ , the Sandman was uncertain… but he had a few possible ideas.

One of which seemed more likely as Jack's gaze focused on the golden spirit and he instinctively gave the sandy form a once over as if confirming, _he's here, he's alright_.

Sandy smiled and then they were entering the Globe Room, followed immediately by the rest of their group. There was the expected bustle of busy yetis trying to clean and repair the space after Pitch's attack and the elves rushing around apparently just to be rushing around, but the eyes of all the Guardians quickly locked on the giant round sphere and its countless little lights. From the corner of his eye, Sandy saw Jack's expression shift. When the older spirit turned his head slightly to look closer, he realized it didn't help- the younger's expression was complex and rapidly transitioning, as if a thousand thoughts and feelings were flashing by at once.

"So," Jack spoke suddenly, processing what he was seeing, "With the dreams and memories reaching the kids again, that thing looks a lot better than it did a day ago. But it's not as bright as it used to be, is it?"

Sandy shook his head and North sighed.

"No, Jack, you are in the right. Pitch's attacks took grave toll," the large man planted his fists on his hips, "Will require much effort to build back up."

"Well then, we'd better get started!" the slender boy stated, stance taking on a hint of bravado, which amused North to no end. But then Jack faltered slightly. "Uh, what do you guys usually do in cases like this?"

Bunny hopped forward, serious eyes on the Globe. "There is no 'usually' or 'cases like this,' mate. We spent centuries refining our techniques ta get where we were before the attack. It'll require some fresh thinking and a lot of work to regain tha' lost ground." It was obvious the Easter spirit's confidence was built directly by experience in getting through difficult times. He turned to Jack with a pointed look.

Jack may have proven his good intentions and saved them all- for which Bunny was humbled, grateful and willing to support the winter spirit as a valued team member. And Bunny knew he had a few missteps to make up for himself. But there were still some outstanding issues, in the Pooka's mind, if they were truly going to succeed in working together moving forward.

"Hard work. And deadlines. And listening to and checking in with each other. A team is only as strong as its weakest link's judgment."

Jack's cheeks burned at the barely-veiled reprimand regarding Easter, and his fingers tightened on his staff as he looked away, face shifting between remorse and rebellion.

"Bunny!" Tooth exclaimed, raising a hand to her brow in exasperation. Jack's deceivingly casual laugh stopped her from continuing.

"No it's ok, Tooth," Jack began, fixing his eyes at last on the furry warrior, "Bunny obviously still doesn't get it. See, some of us, know how to get things done without sucking all the fun out of everything… and some don't."

North and Sandy braced themselves, ready to jump in as Bunny opened his mouth to retort, a dark look descending on his brow, but Tooth hastily interjected.

"Jack," she hesitated, trying to determine the best way to get the conversation away from raw egos and back to the point. It felt like they were poised to repeat the same mistakes of a couple days ago. "It will be fun, I have no doubts about that," she smiled and continued, "But it _will_ require hard work and accountability from all of us. We'll need a plan, need to work together, and yes, probably need a sort of schedule as well." She looked both determined and slightly apologetic.

The defensive aggression melted from Jack's posture. He broke eye contact and started running his free hand through his hair, suddenly looking tired. Bunny's own stance eased in response to this back-down, and his face changed from anger to wary scrutiny.

"Look, when I said all that stuff before about hard work and… it wasn't… I didn't mean… it's just, always before…"

The other Guardians looked on in varying degrees of puzzlement as Jack stumbled over the words. Bunny narrowed his eyes as he noticed the boy's agitated but sluggish movements. Just a little less graceful than usual.

No one noticed two elves who had trotted up to the youth and were trying to get his attention. Until one of them grew impatient and headbutted his leg, a loud jingle bursting from the elf's hat.

"What do you think you are doing attacking Guardian?" North bellowed to the elves, stomping forward, missing the sudden look of vulnerability and hope that flashed across Jack's face when the man referred to him by the title.

Sandy silently laughed when he saw what the determined little elves were holding. Two ice-blue shoes, toes curled over with jingle bells, emblazoned with the symbol of the Guardians. Their expressions said they would not take no for an answer this time.

Jack held up a hand to stop North and gave a wry smile, clearly grateful for the distraction. "What, is it no shirt, no shoes, no service?" He knelt down to the elves' level and lifted first one shoe, then both, looking highly dubious. A slight edge of rebellion set into his features as he shot a quick glance at Bunny. A quick spark ignited his eyes to an even brighter blue, and he moved closer to the elves, using a loud conspiratorial whisper.

"Ohhh, I know why these look familiar. These aren't _shoes_. They're _hats_. In fact… they look kind of like… the hats of the elf kings!"

A hundred jingle bells across the work room suddenly silenced and the little folk glued their eyes to the winter spirit.

"Sandy," Jack looked over at the dream weaver, gleeful face pulling him in. His voice took on a reverent tone. "Have you ever seen more kingly headpieces?"

"What is he on about now?" Bunny muttered as Sandy clapped his hands, grinning and floating over to Jack before taking on a mock serious expression as he examined the shoes.

A look exchanged between the two Guardians. Then the Sandman, oldest and wisest of the Guardians, solemnly nodded, a crown appearing in the sand above his head. Suddenly it was chaos as hundreds of little feet scurried over to where Jack held the footwear aloft. The winter Guardian immediately took to the air with a laugh.

"Oh no, no, we must gather all the elven lords before we can determine who is fit to rule! Come, let us find all of your brethren!" With his signature laughter, Jack took off down the nearest hallway, Sandy at his side with his hands in the air, a thunder of jingle bells following in their wake.

The yetis, who had paused in their labors as they watched the spectacle, were the first to recover, rolling their eyes and quietly getting back to work. At least the little pests were no longer underfoot.

Bunny was next to gather his wits.

"You see? _No_ focus."

North, who had actually been imagining a scenario with an elf king, wondering if he could make a toy or story book that would interest the children, snapped out of his daze at the words.

"Give him time, Bunny," North frowned. "Is new position for him- and does no kinds of good to bring up past mistakes and doubts as welcoming message. Besides, joy is important after hard times."

Tooth agreed, a slightly sharper edge to her voice, "Even without knowing very much about his past, it's not difficult to see that if Jack's been basically alone for 300 years it's going to be a bit hard to open up to people, let alone coordinate with them."

The Easter spirit immediately took on a more pensive, slightly guilty look, ears lowering.

She continued in a gentler tone. "It's not just building back up our believers. Building up this team- building up a relationship with Jack- will take effort and time as well. Look at everything he did for us. He saved us. He stood up to Pitch _alone_. He protected the children. I think he's genuinely trying, and we need to be careful not to drive him away. Like we kind of did the first time."

"That's a very diplomatic 'we', sheila," Bunny glanced at her wryly, then sighed. "Just want to make sure he knows clearly the expectations goin' in, so there aren't any further holiday-destroying 'misunderstandings'. Don't think any of us can handle that at this point... least of all Jack, actually." As painful as losing Easter had been for _him_ , Jack's own broken expression in that moment- the expression that staid his paw when he wanted to strike out- stuck in his memory like a worrying splinter.

North's look softened, and he put a large hand on the Pooka's shoulder. "Then must make sure he feels he is part of team, rather than outsider on probations."

Tooth tilted her head.

"Think 'we' can do that?" She asked Bunny teasingly, even though her half smile clearly communicated that she knew the answer.

"Yeah, Toothy. Kid gets under my skin worse than North-"

"Hey! I am most likeable!"

"-but you're right. Not that he probably won't give us further reason to _consider_ him for 'probation' before long." Bunny crossed his arms and looked in the direction the chaotic crowd had disappeared.

The Tooth Fairy and Guardian of Wonder weren't fooled by his gruffness, but they let it pass. Then they all cringed as they heard the sound of a loud crash coming from the bowels of the workshop. North looked at the nearest yetis, including Phil, all sporting long-suffering expressions.

"Yes," North apologized to them, "May be a little not so smooth sailing at first."

The sound of a jangling tsunami began building down a nearby hallway, and Jack burst out, pausing as he realized he was back in the main room.

Bunny raised an eyebrow. Hm. He knew battle fatigue. And looking at Jack right now, landing more heavily than usual on a railing, leaning against a pillar, panting slightly, confirmed his earlier suspicion. He _did_ look fatigued. The moment of observation was interrupted by the arrival of the elvish horde.

"Oy, North, how many of them do you house here?!" Bunny exclaimed, backing up to a wall to avoid the flood of pointy hats.

Catching the wind again, Jack chuckled and darted down another hall, the seemingly entire elf population of Santoff Clausen following in his wake. "To the throne room, to choose the new royalty!" The prankster called back to them.

Sandy emerged with the last of the elves, holding the "crowns" formally on a pillow as if in a procession. Glancing over at Tooth, Bunny and North, he gave a slight wince and started showing sand images of broken toys, toppled furniture- and was that a fruitcake on fire?

Bunny ran a hand over his face. "More important, ya crazy lil bloke, keep an eye on Jack, yeah?" At the others' quizzical looks, he went on seriously, "He's not one to let on, but I can tell he's plain tuckered out. Needs ta rest up sooner than later."

Sandy's brow furrowed and he quickly floated down the path after the elves and his frosty friend.

After throwing a concerned glace toward the passage of the "royal procession," North was about to send another commiserating look to his yetis, when he paused. Phil and the others were not looking angrily down the first hall, where the destruction apparently was. They were pointing anxious faces at the portal the winter spirit had disappeared through. Huh. Letting it pass, North addressed his large helpers.

"Cleaning can be later. Is time for celebration!"

Every yeti's expression went deadpan, then resigned with just a touch of amusement. Smooth as clockwork, they dropped what they were doing and began preparing for a feast, as if it were a practiced drill.

Tooth and Bunny knew better than to resist, and they instead moved to the chairs scooted close to the fire and gratefully accepts the warm cups full of liquid chocolate from a particularly considerate yeti. ("On special occasions, it's OK," Tooth murmured her disclaimer of sweet beverages as she gestured to her mug.)

After some specific instructions to his helpers ("Yes to banners, no confetti, gets in food."), North joined them, looking contemplative.

"What you said, Toothy, with the 300 years… you are right. We are knowing very little about Jack Frost. And probably he about us. This should also be part of plan, as he is to be one of us now," the large man turned his gaze to his companions. "Where is he coming from? What does he do for three centuries? Why does he have no shoes, anyway? All good questions. We find out."

Bunny pulled his feet back from where he was warming them by the fire. "Look mate, the kid's as skittish as a kit. Tooth was right about another thing- we need ta give it proper time. Dun wanna spook 'im."

Tooth was pleased they understood, adding, "Our first discussion can wait until tomorrow. Bunny, you were also right- I'm sure Jack must be exhausted. Look how much power he used to fight Pitch." She remembered catching him as he passed out, falling from the sky after he let loose the first time. Her heart squeezed. She did not want to have to do something like that ever again.

In truth, they were all in awe of the previously unknown strength of their newest Guardian. Hadn't he always been just a troublesome imp frosting windows and blowing chilly air through streets? But that winter magic he had unleashed on Pitch was no minor power. And Jack Frost, therefore, was no minor sprite.

"Good. Is plan, we meet tomorrow. Now-" But North was cut off by the blaring of trumpets.

"May we present, their highnesses, King Dingle of the East Santoff Clausen elves and King Hankle of the West Santoff Clausen elves!" Jack announced from a balcony above and directly across from the fireside Guardians. In an instant he was over the railing, Sandy close beside him. Making a slide of solid ice from the upper to the lower balcony, Jack swooped down, the elves sliding in his wake. First, two elves-Dingle and Hankle, apparently-with the illustrious blue shoes perched comically on their heads, their hoods now dangling back and being held like royal robes by attendants. Then two hundred of their faithful subjects followed.

Not even Jack and Sandy could escape the momentum of a couple hundred elves, as they crashed into the room, turning into a mountain of grinning little faces, flailing feet and pointy hoods.

Jack and Sandy's heads popped out from the middle of the pile. Hair sticking up every which way and a tired grin on his face, the winter child simply said quietly, "Haha- again!"

North walked up to the pile and lifted an elf by it's foot. He raised a brow at Jack, who was wriggling himself free. The rest of the elves were quickly tumbling apart, and when their royal highnesses emerged they were dusted off with care, their shoe-crowns repositioned with great dignity.

"Um, yeah. North," Jack patted him on the arm, "I may have started something irreversible here…"

And then his legs folded and he just sat right down in the middle of the floor, adrenalin finally wearing off, a somewhat dazed, blank look on his face.

"Jack!" Tooth exclaimed, flying over.

Jack blinked. Focused on her. "Yeah?" As if nothing was unusual.

Sandy hovered in front of him and created an image of a bed.

"What? Are you crazy? This is the best day ever! I'm never going to sleep again! No rest for the wicked!" He hopped back up into the air, but paused at North's voice.

"Jack is right!" The Christmas Guardian practically bellowed.

Jack grinned and then looked confused. "Wait, about which part?"

"Is no time for sleeping," North scoffed with a dismissive wave of his hand. "We have just saved world, is time for celebration!"

As Jack found new energy and flipped through the air towards North with an excited cry, Bunny gave the larger Guardian a very cross what-are-you-doing look. North looked a little smug before he placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and gestured to the massive table set with all kinds of amazing foods, artfully laid out by the most artistic of the yetis. Jack took off and hovered over the table, taking in all the details and getting in the way of the last dishes being placed on the wooden surface.

North spoke in a hushed voice to the other Guardians while Jack was out of earshot. "No one is awake at end of good party." With a wink he moved to join Jack, who was now standing on the back of one of the chairs.

Tooth laughed and grabbed Sandy and Bunny's hands, pulling them with her to join the fun. Even Bunny had to smile, but it was a contemplative look. North seemed to understand Jack so much more intuitively, to know how to navigate productively through interactions with the kid, whereas he felt like he was blundering completely in the dark.

**_-ROTG-_ **

Things had gone from eventful to chaotic in ways that, in retrospect, they all should have seen coming.

Elves, as North could attest, were not easy to get rid of. Especially those of newly elevated rank, apparently.

They hadn't made it even 10 peaceful minutes into the meal- if you could call it that with Jack hovering from one seated Guardian to the next, sitting on Sandy's armrest then resting with his toes on the table next to Tooth then perching over North's shoulder on the back of his chair. It was Bunny who insisted Jack 'sit down before he gave them all indigestion,' and the winter sprite may have ignored the 'request' if the Pooka hadn't also pulled out the chair next to him in invitation.

Jack moved vulnerable eyes from the chair to Bunny and back before taking a single hop and landing on the seat. He crossed his legs Indian style and settled back as if testing a new concept.

It was then the Guardians noticed Jack wasn't the only one who had just been seated. Dingle and Hankle had also been lifted into chairs by their subjects. And said subjects were now scaling the table and chairs to better serve their kings (and smuggle away as much food for themselves as possible).

North rested his elbows on the table and waved a fork at Jack.

"Jack, was maybe not so good idea to create new monarchy in this day of age."

Jack laughed and leaned forward. "You're the one throwing them a coronation banquet!"

Bunny grinned, gaze on North as he gave Jack's arm a quick nudge, missing the slightly widened blue eyes at the friendly touch. "Good point! Always knew his penchant for overblown celebrations had a political motive."

While North made an incredulous gesture of 'how is this my fault?!', a delighted grin broke free on Jack's face as he jumped on this rare new opportunity to engage in humor with _Bunny_.

"Yeah, but you'd figure he'd pick better candidates," he mock-whispered, leaning closer to the Pooka.

Jack's point was beautifully illustrated as Dingle, in an apparent peace offering, stuck a broken candy cane in Hankle's pile of mashed potatoes. It was taken as an act of war, however, and immediately shoved into the original gifter's ear.

Within 10 seconds, there was no safe quarter in the entire room. Food was flying furiously through the air, nearly impossible to dodge.

It took a single close encounter with a glob of mashed turnips- wouldn't that be a nightmare to get out of her feathers- for Tooth to make the call.

"Retreat!"

**_-ROTG-_ **

"So. We defeated Pitch less than a day ago."

A golden nod of agreement.

"And an army of Nightmares."

"Yes, Jack. Was great battle."

"And we just ran away from North's elves."

"They had turnips. Try removing it from plumage."

"And now we're stuck in here until it dies down."

"The better part of valor, mate."

They had, fortunately, ended up in a parlor with cushioned windows and a couch, bookshelves, trinkets and another merry fireplace. The yetis, wise as ever, had vanished before the first carrot had been launched, and with the elves overrunning the main floor of the workshop unchecked, the Guardians could all still hear the sounds of the food fight distantly through the door.

The other Guardians had settled on or around the sofa, but Jack had immediately wandered over to a window while asking his questions. With the lull in the conversation, he pushed the window slightly open, taking a deep breath of the frigid, fresh air. His blinking slowed until his eyes rested closed for a few moments.

"You know what I find helps pass time when waiting for break in battle?" Jack peeled his eyes back open and shot a sarcastic, questioning look at North in response.

The bearded Guardian had been watching the boy standing weary and separate from the group, his hand still on the open window as if unsure which direction he was planning to move. Bunny was absolutely right- Jack needed rest. Rest where he would not be vulnerable or unprotected.

"What?" Jack questioned, turning slighty towards the room's other occupants.

"Music!"

Jack chuckled and turned further towards the Guardian. "You really love music, don't you?" There was a smile of approval in his voice.

North simply gave his mysterious smile and began singing. Soft and low and deep, an old Russian folk song eased through the air like syrup. Jack moved closer as if in a trance, until he was right next to the rest of the group again. Tooth, sitting on the floor by Bunny's feet, reached up a hand and pulled Jack down beside them. Jack smiled at her and closed his eyes again, enjoying the song. Sandy exchanged a glance with North and readied some dreamsand to grant good dreams the moment sleep took hold. He didn't have to wait long, as it was very obvious that the boy was asleep the moment he leaned against Bunny's knee.

As a dream of a snowball fight with children and Guardians formed in the sand above Jack's head, the frost child smiled and burrowed his cheek into the fur he was resting against. The Pooka's face relaxed into a soft, wry smile for a moment before he schooled his features and looked at North as he finished his song. The sounds from outside the room had ceased and all was silent.

"Right, so where do we put 'im? My leg's already falling asleep…"

Sandy rolled his eyes at Bunny's continued grumpy front, especially when the Pooka scooped Jack up the instant North made a move forward to lift him. Bunny's fixed look wavered as Jack's feet kicked slightly and he buried his cheek further into the downy chest. Sending an annoyed scowl at his other companions' teasing looks, Bunny marched resolutely toward the door, soft laughter and the sound of their following movement coming almost immediately.

Somehow, it took a handful of elves, two yetis, a tooth fairy, a sandman, a jolly Cossack and an Easter bunny to properly tuck in one small winter spirit. And that winter spirit remained oblivious to it all.

**_-ROTG-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just setting some tone with the intro here.
> 
> Throne room = Guess. :) Bwaha.
> 
> There is a reason for the yetis' reactions.
> 
> I can't write Bunny's Aussie-ness with consistency. :'( And I'm not going to butcher it to the point where it's difficult to read, as I've seen done. Just imagine the accent and forgive the rest.
> 
> My version of Tooth is going to be awesome. No weepy, clingy, squeamish, emotionally neurotic woman here. Seriously, people, she's the ONLY female main character, it's tragic to turn her into a negative stereotype or gloss over her contributions to the group. She's spectacular in her own right.


	3. New Life: Forgotten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more about this fic:
> 
> Because I'm trying to include a massive plot and all this satisfying backstory and hurt/comfort and such, this is going to be a LONG story. I've outlined four major arcs, and 53 pages of basic story notes in 11 point font, and it is a monster of a tale, although the events take place in under a year. The pacing will likely be a bit random.

_-ROTG-_

The sun was starting to set as Nicholas St. North finally made it to his personal study. Putting his young charge to bed had been fun in and of itself, as if the boy created his Center even while dreaming, bringing out the amusing qualities in each person around him.

Conversing with his fellow Guardians and showing them hospitality had been pleasant, as usual. He always made sure he had rooms available for them at the Pole, and they appreciated it. They had each gone to see to their duties, making sure all was right and running smoothly in their respective domains, but would return to rest tonight and be on hand for their meeting in the morning, bright and early. In truth, all of them were worn out from the recent battles. If the troubling events- and perhaps a young new member- made them want to stay a little closer together for a day or two, who was to think twice about it?

Actually, North _was_ thinking twice about it. Thrice! Because something bigger had happened in the past few days than their confrontation with Pitch, he realized. Could feel it somewhere even deeper than his belly.

For the first time in centuries, they had been given something new. A new team mate. A new friend.

A new conundrum.

Because it was clear to North that what Jack needed was more than a job. It had been less than a handful of days since he toppled out of a sack and into their lives, but in every look he gave them, every unexpected idea he launched into, every smile or laugh- or pang of sorrow- he elicited from them, this boy made them realize that they needed something, too. Something they hadn't identified for a long, long time. Something North believed the others may not have consciously realized, yet. But it still moved them, either way. Jack had an effect that seemed to ripple through the Guardians, and North could already see their personal worlds shifting. They had discussed it calmly and rationally earlier in the day, but the intuitive Christmas Guardian had a feeling they hadn't even begun to understand what they were truly in for as their team changed into something… different.

Lives can pivot on a single day. North believed they had just experienced a handful of such days, and what direction they were headed next was anyone's guess. But behaviors and expectations were changing already, subtle and persistent. And North welcomed it.

As the others departed, the leader of Santoff Clausen broke from these musings and turned his attention to the general chaos of his workshop. He helped his yetis take care of immediate concerns- how one table of food could end up in so many _crevices_ \- then sent them to rest as well. The elves… well, never mind the elves. With the flaming fruitcake extinguished and all candy canes of war secured out of reach, there was probably little risk of catastrophe, for now. Although Hankle's imperious attitude was starting to concern him a bit.

One more quick peek in at Jack- mischief that could look as angelic as that could end the world, North was convinced- and then the burly man headed to his work room. He had an idea…

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack woke up feeling warm. A happy, pleasant kind of warm that rested deep in his chest and turned his thoughts soft and golden. He felt like stretching, but paused a moment first, trying to figure out (without opening his eyes or reaching for his other senses and driving away the warm feeling) if the movement was likely to result in a tumble from a tree or rooftop- two frequent sleeping spots of the elemental spirit.

Moving his hand slightly, he realized he felt soft cloth. Raising it, there was a pillow. He stilled. This was… new. This was a _bed_. Had he ever slept in one before? His sleep fogged brain didn't seem to want to supply an answer.

Giving in to the urge to stretch felt amazing, as did the springy mattress, the squishy pillow and the covers that seemed to keep him just the right temperature. He sighed. Bliss.

Slowly opening his eyes, Jack pieced together a few things his other senses had been trying to tell him. He was in a bedroom. Judging by the woodwork he could see, he was at the Pole. And seeing how moonlight was streaming through a nearby window, it was nighttime. He sat up, still groggy.

_Tsk. North. Sandman._

Still, maybe he should be grateful. When _was_ the last time he got to sleep in a bedroom? Well, probably for sure when he was alive. At that sobering thought, he pulled his knees to his chest. He had actually long suspected that he was something dead, being invisible and all, but it had somehow never occurred to him that he had once been _alive_ , in the human sense. The new idea made his insides twist.

Alive. With a family.

The sudden revelation of it all when he viewed his tooth memories had hit him with such an intense burst of joy. He had a reason and a purpose, he hadn't started out alone and he didn't have to _be_ alone. It was the first and only indication of these things that he had received in three endless centuries.

Even more than that, though... His heart had beat so fast at the memory of his sister, his family. In its thundering pace he could feel how much he loved them, and that feeling stayed even when the memory faded.

But those mental pictures _had_ faded.

And now, sitting there in the dark, he desperately tried to remember, to feel that connection again. Even though it was merely a day ago when he'd watched the memories like a movie rolling across the screen of his mind, he couldn't recall their faces any longer. He wanted these memories for his own. Not just the knowledge that he had a family. He wanted to _remember_ them, to know his own thoughts and feelings from when he had been with them.

He tried to remember back to before he was Jack Frost. When he was with his family. His family. _His family_...

Nothing.

Suddenly a choking, lonely grief slammed into him and he couldn't breathe. How could he forget them? How?! As soon as he had seen the memories in his tooth canister, he had felt the pull at his heart. If his heart remembered them, why couldn't his mind?

Jack buried his face in his quilt-covered knees and began rocking.

_Worst_ of all, he hadn't remembered them while they were still alive. He had missed the whole rest of his opportunity to have a life with them. They were gone before he even remembered they existed. He hadn't gotten a chance to say good-bye… and neither had they. He tried to remember if he had happened to encounter them after his change… but he drew a blank. After being alone for so long, to now know what he had missed out on- this new loss was staggering, a feeling beyond what his body could contain.

Jack reached out and clawed at the blanket on his bed, grabbing tight fistfuls of the material as tears burned their way down his face, his heart and mind processing two different kinds of grief- for his loss and _theirs_.

In those memories he had seen it. They had loved him, and he had loved them- so much. And after he fell through that ice… what must they have lived through? Had to endure? His little sister watched him _die_. His mother- parents?- never saw their son again.

And _he_... had simply started over without them. Left them behind. Picked up his staff and played with his frost- laughing. That first night he had been _laughing_ while they probably mourned. What kind of despicable, flawed person forgets their most important people like that? How can you forget what you _love_?

None of the _other_ Guardians forgot when they were chosen.

Maybe...

Maybe he did deserve to be alone. Someone who could so easily forget the people he loved like that deserved to not have anyone. Maybe that is why the Man in the Moon had left him Unseen for all those years. It was punishment. A well _deserved_ punishment.

Oh.

This made _sense_.

Jack grabbed his hair and leaned forward, trying to think clearly despite the dark feelings clouding his mind.

Manny saw him save his sister and gave him another chance, thinking he'd be useful, be able to protect people. But Jack forgot about his own… his _own_ family-

_-stupid, worthless, selfish-_

He wasn't _there for them_. So of course MIM would not want him as a Guardian or anything else… He couldn't be trusted and didn't deserve it. He could just imagine the Moon's horror as he pulled Jack from the ice and realized he made a mistake. This new creation had let go of the most important thing in the world, let the most important memories slip away. Worse than useless.

But now here Manny was, making him a Guardian anyway. Giving the undeserving _another_ chance. Maybe he decided Jack had been punished enough? Had learned something? Could become something better again?

Maybe he could have not only a purpose-

_-children, yay, best purpose_ ever _!-_

-but, maybe eventually, kind of a family again. Jack bit his lip at the undeserved boldness of this thought. It was just… another chance at...

_Family._

People to always be there with. For. He had watched and watched and watched families year after year. How they grew, what they _meant_. And everytime he reached out, unable to touch anyone, let alone dream of a relationship with them, a deep hollowness grew. At least now it felt justified. That had been the _lesson_ , to teach him the value of what he'd so easily given up the first time. That's why the emptiness had been his only real companion for centuries.

And then North had curled Jack's fingers around a tiny wooden doll. And Tooth had place a comforting hand on his shoulder with a look of genuine caring. And Sandy defended and believed in him as they played and entered battle side by side. And Bunny… Bunny had forgiven him with a smile, for the first time.

The Guardians were, by far, the best people he'd met since he'd changed into this form, and they seemed to… want him to be with them. Well, that was probably going too far. But they at least wanted to follow what the Moon instructed, which was to work with Jack Frost.

He was so very tired of being alone, filled with relentless desire for what he could never have. At least now he knew _why_ he had been punished like that. And although he barely knew them, really, he just couldn't help it: every time he now thought of North, Tooth, Sandy or Bunny, a glorious feeling of fondness and just… being alive ran straight through every nerve. He wanted to _be_ with them. To belong. It was terrifying.

Jack uncurled enough to stare at the moon peeping through the curtains. He slipped from between the covers and tip-toed to the window, pushing the shades aside. He pressed his hands to the window panes as he eagerly looked up in the sky, but quickly pulled them back as the panels began to frost over.

Where to start? Well, considering how long he'd blamed the Man in the Moon for his situation- yelled and criticized up at the night sky and then… then _refused his offer_ of forgiveness and belonging in the form of an invitation to become a Guardian- he was pretty sure a solid apology was in order.

"Wow. Not… not quite sure why you'd still be listening at this point, but I hope you are because I finally have something worth saying to you.

"I can't really express it all in words, and I know that won't be _enough_ , not nearly enough. But I should start out that way, right?

"I am so sorry." Jack's sincere whispered apology shifted to sudden, soft laughter, and he shook his head dropping his gaze. The words were so... _little_. He rushed on, "For a very long 'naughty list', but I'll keep it to the most important offenses."

He looked back up and took a steadying breath. "First of all, I can't imagine what you thought everytime I got frustrated or blamed _you_. Did I end up adding years to my sentence for bad behavior?" He chuckled. "I get it now. I'm just… I'm so _sorry_ for forgetting _them_ , for letting _you_ down. In basically the first two seconds after you saved me and gave me another chance! _Who does that_?!" Jack's laugh broke the monologue again with a sharp bitterness.

"I was so weak and… what was _wrong_ with me?! I forgot the best thing I ever had- my family. Did- did they suffer very- no, _no_ , don't answer that." He clenched his eyes shut and sped into the next words. "I am so sorry for…" Jack paused, eyes opening, seeing the darkest parts of his 300 years taunting him with their flaws, mistakes and catastrophes. Yes. He did make a mess of so many things. So much to rectify. "Well there is too much, but _you_ know all that already, you've seen me all this time, I am just… sorry for all of that. And I realize I need to make up for it. To the- the extent that is even possible.

"I can't believe you're giving me another chance. Oh, don't get me wrong, I am… am… _extremely_ grateful. This is, I mean… being a Guardian… getting to hang out with _legends_ who are actually awesome people, too. Even Bunny." Jack's laugh finally had a hint of its usual joy as he spoke of his new team. "And all they do to, y'know, protect _children_ and the _world_. I know I only just started to help, but... I'll do anything, because the kids- oh man, Jamie and his friends are the _best_! Thank you for…" The pale boy, almost pristine white in every way under the cool moonlight, stopped short, his hands paused mid-gesture and his throat closed at the thought of all he had now been given. The silent moment stretched on, but when the tightness eased slightly, he managed to finish.

"Thank you for all of that. You probably heard my promise to Jamie. I _will_ always be there for the children. They're everything. And, I promise to be there for North and Sandy and Bunny and Tooth as well. I know it took me forever to get, but I really do understand why you chose _them_. I'll help them… I'll help them every way I can. I know I have a long way to go before I measure up to what they do. Um... At least my Center works?"

His self-deprecating smile held steady for a moment, then dropped and his hands reached out to cling to the curtains.

"I know, this is probably… this _is_ really greedy, but I'll just throw it out there, so you, uh, know." He clenched his eyes closed again and gathered his courage to get out what he knew was an unreasonable request, all things considered. "I'd like to also have another chance with a family. With the other Guardians. _But_! I'll work really hard to earn it this time. And _keep it_." He looked up, his eyes blue fire. "Whatever it takes! Please keep watching! I swear I'll do it! I won't disappoint _you_ , either."

Jack's hands fell back to his side. No answer from the glowing orb in the sky. That's OK. As long as his message got across. He backed away from the window.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Somewhere high in the sky, beyond the air and beyond that further still, a silent spirit, lighting the darkened Earth below, grieved for the misunderstandings of his lonely child.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack curled up in a chair across the room from the window and thought. He just wanted to sleep again, but his nerves were making him jittery and his mind was jumping around with all the realizations that came with his recent revelation. He could tell he was still exhausted from the battles with Pitch, and especially from having to repair his staff. He didn't sleep nearly as often as humans, usually, but harnessing his deeper Winter powers the way he had- with control and precision- to battle Pitch and carefully join back together the fibers of his conduit had been tremendously draining. It had seemed to settle in his bones once the immediate danger had passed. The fact that he had exposed his weariness to the others made him cringe in shame.

_OK, step one in not-screwing-this-up, don't make people worry about you needlessly. Do not make them have to bear the weight of your problems. They're_ way _too important, they need to focus on keeping the kids safe and happy._

_He would_ be responsible for himself, like he always had. He'd take every last chance to work towards the Guardians' level. To earn back what he had let slip away once. _He would_ do everything he could to have a family again.

A family. Jack's mind suddenly stilled as the thought made a different kind of memory, sharp and clear, flash into his head. The memory of his time with Pitch in Antarctica. _He_ had mentioned family. It still bothered the winter spirit. Leaning his cheek on his fist, the pale boy thought back.

_"To long for… a family."_

Pitch had obviously been toying with his insecurities the whole time, but it had seemed so _genuine_ when he mentioned wanting a family. Probably just manipulating him. _But what if…?_ Pitch had seemed… a bit vulnerable... _personally_ affected by Jack's refusal. For the first time the shadowy face had seemed to reflect its own hurt rather than glee at being able to control others. The King of Nightmares was affected enough to pettily match Jack's rejection with his own, moments later.

_"So be alone!"_ As if it was the worst curse Pitch knew.

If there was even a small chance that something about Pitch's words had been _real_ … it would be pretty unforgivable to ignore it. He, Jack Frost, who longed for family and was given a second chance even though he didn't deserve it, should not ignore the possibility that Pitch could be in the exact same place and do nothing.

What if instead of cutting Pitch off- it had seemed wise at the time with an adversary so manipulative- he had talked to him? Would he have been open to a different kind of plan to gain acceptance and belief the right way? He hadn't even suggested an alternative, just told him to go away. Pitch had been doing terrible things, but what if part of that was because he didn't believe there was another way for him to connect with anyone? While there had been little signs along the way that he wasn't all bad, Pitch was very far from innocent. But who better to make up for his transgressions than himself, if he could see it that way? Just like Jack was planning to.

Another memory. The look on Pitch's face when the children walked through him, unseeing… he knew _exactly_ how awful that felt.

Jack got up and began to pace on silent bare feet.

But what could he do about it at this point? He didn't know where the Boogeyman was and didn't think the other Guardians would agree to an outreach effort. And honestly, Pitch was still a danger to his new friends and the children of the world.

No, it wasn't about wiping a slate clean, just… somehow showing him he didn't _have_ to be alone, either. And that there could maybe be a different path for Pitch, too.

Jack realized he didn't know what that would mean, exactly, for the Spirit of Fear. But to leave him completely alone would be to confirm the hopelessness of his situation. Which could only make things worse, right?

_OK. So, two tasks. One: Do something so Pitch at least doesn't feel completely alone, just in case. Two: Find out more about him, if possible, to figure out what another path might look like._

Right. Easy. Jack flopped over in the chair in frustration, a headache beginning to build. Then he jolted straight up.

_You're frustrated literally minutes after you make your promises to Manny to do_ anything _to help? Come on, Frost, get it together!_

He didn't think he'd be able to find Pitch right away, and it prooooobably wasn't a good idea to go looking while the Nightmare King was still likely raging mad from his defeat. A more subtle approach was in order.

How does one communicate with a legendary spirit? A number of them had their own power-specific methods, such as North receiving all the children's letters, but what about Pitch? He just seemed to creepily slink out of shadows.

Ten minutes of fruitless thinking later, Jack decided to go with a long shot. And as a spirit who preferred action, he decided to test it out immediately. With a little energy born from having a plan, Jack hopped from the chair, grabbed his staff and quickly moved to open the door to the hallway. Peering outside and seeing nothing, he flew soundlessly down the hall to North's personal work room. He carefully turned the knob and slipped into the darkened room, surprised it wasn't locked.

Flying to the section of the office that was made of ice itself, the frost-maker put his hand to the cool surface and concentrated. Moonlight filled the frozen water and stayed there even when Jack moved away, flooding the room with brightness. Jack hovered by North's desk and tentatively opened the top drawer. Letting out a very quiet whoop, the pale boy scooped up the paper and pen he found lying right on top and beat a quick retreat back to his room, waving the moonlight out of the ice as he left the study.

Once back in his bedroom, he sat down on the floor to write. Fifteen minutes later, he sealed the letter, drawing a snowflake on the "From" section on the back and writing "Pitch Black, Some Creepy Lair, Dark Underground" in the main address portion. Scootching over to his bed, he dropped the letter into the shadow underneath it. Stared for a minute.

Still there. Ugh. Well, he'd leave it overnight. Who knows.

He hastened back to North's study to replace the writing supplies. Only once they were safely returned did he breathe a sigh and look around. Not much had changed since the first time he followed North into this room to have the "Center" talk. Hah. Good times. He didn't remember this many ice chippings all over the floor, though, what a mess. Well, here was one small way he could help! With a grin, he waved his staff and wind wooshed across the floor, blowing the clear shards into a pile by the back wall with the balcony door.

Approaching the pile, he realized there were some new additions to the room back there. A chair, a table and a bed frame made of solid ice. Jack grinned. What kookiness was the old man up to now? He ran his hand over the furniture. Good to see North was making good use of the permanent ice, though. As he blew the last of the ice shards out the balcony door, a glance outside and around the curve of the railing revealed a pool of perfectly clear frozen water. Well, wasn't _that_ inspiring? He could use a little Fun right about now. The winter spirit gathered a few small blocks that had been quarried earlier and brought them to North's work table, scattered with carving tools. Only, Jack Frost didn't need tools.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

The sun was peeking over the horizon, the cookies were fresh-baked and the yetis seemed downright cheerful following their afternoon and night off. And a chipper yeti was a productive yeti, North reflected. He had full confidence his helpers would have everything running back to normal by noon. Yes, all was right at the Pole, North mused as he made his jolly way to his study, munching on a couple of ginger snaps. Now to clean up the mess he had left last night with his ice carving.

It was still a good half hour before he would expect the other Guardians to make an appearance for the meeting. He had asked his yetis to prepare each of his companions' favorite breakfast dishes- although he wasn't sure what Jack's was yet. Frozen waffles? He chuckled to himself as he pushed his way into the private workspace. He stopped short, the last bit of cookie halfway to his mouth.

Well, he'd walked into his office and found elvish destruction, yelling yetis, run-away toys and all manner of nosy visitors from outside the Pole in the past. But this was new.

Sitting _on top_ of North's work table, Jack Frost was folded double over his own crossed legs, head resting on his forearms, fast asleep. It was as if he had been sitting there Indian style and just toppled forward. Walking to the table quietly, North lowered himself slowly into the chair in front of the icy sleeper, observing.

And as amazing as it was to find a little Guardian on his desk, what lay in front of the downy head was even more surprising. Standing in a neat row were half-foot figures of frosted ice, so precise and perfect it was slightly strange to look at them. North, Tooth, Sandy, Bunny, Jamie and his friends, all exquisitely portrayed. Not only the physical proportions, but the expression and stance of each captured the essence of the individual. He could almost believe them alive.

"Jack, this is most wonderful," North spoke in a hushed tone, his wide eyes displaying his Center. He reached out a tentative hand and gently ran it through the winter child's soft white hair. Jack made a small sound and curled up tighter. The larger Guardian smiled and began to rub the youth's back. Slowly, vibrant blue eyes made an appearance. As North's gentle look met drowsy eyes, Jack sat up slightly and blinked a few times. He seemed to realize where he was suddenly and with a short cry, half jumped half toppled off the opposite side and backed up into the nearest wall, clutching his staff, eyes darting around to take in details.

"Oh. Haha. Morning?" Jack glanced to the natural daylight filtering through the windows and ice. Apparently he'd overslept. In North's workshop. Eyes flicked to the desk. He'd messed with North's stuff without permission. Deer-in-the-headlights eyes blended with a hopefully-placating grin at the larger Guardian.

North… didn't look mad?

The red-clad man gave a rumbling laugh at Jack's disheveled state and slightly freaked out expression.

"Bed not comfortable? Better to sit like pretzel on hard table? Or is just good for artistic inspiration?" He gestured to the ice figures.

Jack took a couple of hopping steps toward the balcony door. "I was planning on restocking your block supply, really! And you know, it's a permanent ice pond, so all I have to do is pile in more snow and it'll be totally replenished. Oh, and I didn't use your tools, I know those are- oof!" The nervous rambling was cut off as he stumbled into the chair made of ice, then made a desperate grab to keep it from falling over.

North had instinctively risen the moment Jack moved toward the outer door, ready to catch the flighty spirit before he could zoom off. With his large stride, he caught up with the lad just as he was floating in place, his appendages wrapped around the piece of furniture North had carved the day before. As a gift. For the one currently grasping it.

"Jack, Jack, is OK, you are welcome to use the ice and this room." He grasped Jack's hoodie in one hand and the back of the chair in the other, pulling them apart. The chair was planted back on the ground, but the boy found both his shoulders grasped by North's large hands, his feet still dangling inches above the floor.

"Is exciting, finding someone else who understands this joy of carving with ice! And such a gift you have!" With proud eyes, he then said something in Russian that the winter spirit didn't quite understand, but he could tell his captor was very excited. A hesitant half smile appeared on the pale face.

"You like them?"

"Like?!" North bellowed and hauled Jack back to the table. He brought both their faces close to the crystalline figures. "They are… perfect…" his voice became a wonder-filled whisper.

At Jack's silence he glanced over at the artist and smiled at the rosy glow spreading across the normally pale face and the vulnerable look in his blue eyes as he glanced slightly away. North thumped him on the back and as the boy stumbled and recovered, the large man sat back down in his previous seat. Leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me. How?"

And as any artist, however humble, appreciates interest in his work, Jack picked up the excitement once more and began describing the _soul_ of ice, the intricate qualities of the material he called 'permanent ice', the way a memory or idea can be captured by the magic of the material itself, and the decades of practice it took to reach this level of accuracy. The winter spirit couldn't have asked for a better audience, their mutual excitement building until they were both on their toes, gesturing widely.

Suddenly the door burst open and Bunny walked through, talking over his shoulder at Tooth and Sandy, who were looking mildly concerned.

"-probably flown off to who knows where, and good luck trying to start the meeting on time-"

Tooth placed a quick hand on his shoulder to stop the rant the second she saw Jack with North.

"Jack!" She zoomed over and gave him a quick hug, momentarily stunning him. "Good morning!" She backed up and held him at arm's length. "You're looking refreshed. Did you have a good rest?"

_OK, I need to be grateful, but make sure they know they don't need to worry about me._

"Yeah, fantastic. Thanks, Sandy." Jack sent the dream Guardian a wry, grateful smirk. The small golden man gave him an innocent smile and thumbs up in return. "But really, you guys don't need to worry about me. And I'm not going to just fly off again if I'm needed." Two white hands clenched his conduit of power close as he turned careful eyes to Bunny, unintentionally managing to look both wounded and apologetic.

"Tch." The Pooka broke eye contact, his whiskers dropping. He wasn't one to apologize for such a slight infraction, but he made yet another mental note to check his assumptions before voicing them. This was already turning out to be more difficult than he expected.

The fairy and bearded legend were feeling similar pangs of guilt as they remembered their assumptions at Easter. Tooth zeroed back in on Jack's first comment, though.

"Of course we're concerned about each others' well-being. I hope you come to see that you can rely on us. And we fully plan to rely on you, too." She gave him a soft punch on the arm.

Jack's eyes brightened as he smiled at her words. She sighed. Such beautiful teeth.

Sandy, meanwhile, had discovered the ice figures and lifted the one of himself aloft, awe written on his face. Tooth gasped and Bunny's ears lifted as they noticed. North began hopping from foot to foot.

"Yes, yes, see the wonder, what our Jack has made!"

"They're _beautiful_."

"Great detail work here, mate."

As the newly arrived Guardians began picking up the pieces and exploring them, North looked over at the suddenly shy boy leaning his cheek on his staff.

"You usually make this 'permanent ice' material yourself, no?"

Jack blinked. "Yeah, remember that first time? I wasn't as good back, then, but… I mean, the source I gave you has lasted until now, right?"

Now it was North's turn to blink. "Source?"

"Yeah, in the pond. Right outside your balcony. Are you sure you aren't the one who's tired?" Jack gave him a teasing look.

A blank look, then squinting eyes. " _You_ gave it to me?"

The smile fell from Jack's face. Not this again. He must be the least memorable person to ever exist. With all eyes now on him, the boy floated silently to the door of the balcony, opened it, and moved to hover over the small frozen pond. As the other four followed with questioning looks, Jack held his hand over the pool, which was suddenly full of liquid water, rather than ice. A single snowflake, the size of a quarter, floated up from below the surface and into his hand. He held it up for the others with raised eyebrows.

"Remember?" He was looking at North.

North gaped and shook his head. A defeated look momentarily flitted across the youngest Guardian's face. Flying back, he dropped the snowflake into North's palm.

"Drop it in a body of water, providing it isn't too big, and it will create ice that does _not_ transfer it's cold temperature. Which means it won't be uncomfortable to handle, and it won't melt." He recited as if he had said the words before. Looking into North's eyes to see if there was any recognition, he was disappointed to see only shock.

Jack's brow lowered. Ugh, this kind of thing should _not_ still hurt.

"Really? Nothing? I mean, I thought I saw... on a shelf in here…"

And he darted around the others and flew back through the door, starting to rummage through shelves in North's office. Three legends stared at one Guardian of Wonder, who stared back at them, speechless.

"Seems like you'd remember something like this, mate."

They all turned as they heard Jack give a shout of discovery. Filing back into the room, the group saw him holding up a small tree made of ice. Landing, he walked back over to North.

"I made you this that first time…?" The look of hope he gave the other white-haired Guardian made North feel a deep stab of guilt. He took the tree, beautiful, if slightly more abstract than the precise sculptures Jack had just made. A lost and deeply apologetic look followed.

"I am so sorry to forget such a thing. This gift."

Tooth put a hand to her mouth. Bunny and Sandy exchanged troubled glances.

Jack's face froze. For a couple of beats there was no expression. Then suddenly, a very convincing grin slid back in place. With a laugh he nudged North with his elbow.

"Well it was _only_ a few centuries ago. Can't _imagine_ how it could have slipped your mind, what with taking care of billions of kids all that time."

As the others rapidly blinked at this change of tone, Jack marched over to the door leading to the main factory and yanked it open.

"Aren't we all late for a meeting?" He teased and walked out.

Bunny was the first to recover. "Uh. What just happened?"

Jack had peeked back around the doorway, and at Bunny's question he zoomed behind the furry warrior, exclaiming, "Come on, mate, keep up! Meeting time!" and gave the large ears a tug before darting out of the room, a cursing, flustered Pooka hot on his trail. At a crash down the hallway, Sandy hurried after them. Tooth moved to follow, but paused and looked back at North.

The man was staring down at the tree in one hand and the magical snowflake in the other. Tormented eyes were lifted to the sympathetic fairy.

"Toothiana. How could I…? Why is there no memory of it in this old head? Such a precious gift!"

Tooth bit her lip. This really was completely unlike the Guardian of Wonder. His memory had always been sharp as a tack. It was what made him such a good storyteller and gift giver. She fluttered her wings, thinking.

"I don't know," she began slowly. "But for a notable memory to be so completely erased… it may not be due to a natural cause. I'll look into it. From his reaction, I would guess this sort of thing has happened to him before..."

She glanced at North. It ruffled her feathers to see the most confident man she knew looking so remorseful and insecure. She flitted back to his side and took the tree from his hand, carefully setting it beside the other figures on the desk.

"But I do know that we have a great opportunity right _now_ to make new memories together." Taking North's hand with a smile, the memory keeper was grateful to see a spark of optimism catch back in his eyes.

"You are right as always, Toothy," He patted her hand. "Let us not mess up this chance, yes?"

As they left the room to meet with the rest of their team, North squeezed the magical little snowflake in his hand before tucking it securely in a pocket for safekeeping.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

The meeting was surprisingly successful. A plentiful breakfast was already laid out and the Guardians wasted no time digging in (Jack seemed to favor the more sugary items, much to the tooth fairy's chagrin- "Haha, that's why I'm your… _Sweet Tooth_!" and Bunny's dread- "Is it really a good idea to load the kid up with sweets before a work session?"). They started off by discussing what needed to be done to bolster the belief of their many lost lights. Jack seemed back to his usual playful self, and he managed to impress each of the others.

Sandy was thrilled that Jack asked such intelligent questions about how they each used their unique abilities to foster belief in children. The newest Guardian seemed eager to learn and explore, and didn't seem shy about speaking up to accomplish that.

Bunny was shocked that the chaotic bringer of freezing weather understood the need for a real strategy to tackle the problems at hand. _And_ was agreeing to a structured process.

North loved the fresh ideas and perspectives Jack brought to the brainstorming. His curiosity got the others thinking outside the box themselves, reexamining the tactics they had been using for centuries. The winter boy's focus was always on what the children were really wanting.

Tooth was pleasantly surprised that their loner rebel Jack was thinking with a collaborative mindset, focused on working together. Each suggestion was about the team. Maybe it wouldn't take as long as she thought to come together as a truly unified group.

This thought made the fairy queen bold, and she made a suggestion. As their newest member, Jack needed to catch up on centuries of experience that each of the Guardians had with their special method of protecting the young people of the world. What better way than to shadow them in their work? Perhaps it would inspire ideas for Jack to develop his own ways.

Bunny caught on to the idea. The newbie needed to build out his expertise, his name, his believer base, and what better way than to learn from the old pros? (The fact that it gave them a way to keep an eye on him was a bonus, in Bunny's opinion.)

And, North countered, they obviously had a lot to learn from Jack as well. New ideas sparked by his genuine understanding of children would be welcome.

Sandy simply floated over and hugged the pale youth's head and made a sand image of all the Guardian symbols surrounding a snowflake. Bunny snorted.

Jack's expression through all of this was unusually schooled, but his reply was simple. If they thought it would be helpful, he'd give it a try. He DID still have his own role to fulfill in the natural world- it was always transitioning to winter somewhere, just beginning to move into the southern hemisphere at the moment- so it would have to be part-time.

This sounded reasonable, and the excited chatter began to build as they planned. North, Tooth and Sandy were obviously gleeful at the idea of Jack Time. Bunny simply seemed determinedly resigned, but his lack of real resistance gave him away.* Jack was just hard to read, but they didn't pay it much notice since he wasn't running for the exit at the first sign of obligation and teamwork. He made a few joking complaints about schedules and such, but it was half-hearted at best.

They all managed to agree to a schedule.

Monday - Sandy

Wednesday - Tooth

Friday - Bunny

Saturday - North, followed by a Guardian team meeting over dinner

Jack mentally added Sunday as Jamie Day.

As they concluded the meeting, Sandy eagerly smiled over at Jack. It was Monday, after all. If the returned smile was just a bit on the shy side, who was Sanderson Mansnoozie to point it out? It seemed the young Guardian suddenly remembered something, however, and he dashed from the room, saying he just needed to check on something real quick before they left.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_Agggggh, how could I forgeeeeet_.

Images of an elf wandering into his bedroom, finding the letter to Pitch under his bed, and trotting off to deposit it in North's lap flashed across Jack's mind and he cringed. Sometimes, even he had to agree his tendency to get distracted was dangerous.

The door was closed. Good sign. Opening it slightly and peeking in did not reveal an occupant. Also good. Slipping inside and slamming the door, he hastily dropped to his knees and crawled over to the bed. Peered beneath.

There was nothing there but a shadow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what is going through Jack's mind during the meeting, hm? ;)
> 
> Oooo, a couple of mysteries hinting at something bigger, here. I'm sorry to say the underlying situations are rather complex.
> 
> Urgh, I freaking realized after writing several more chapters that I goofed. If Easter Sunday happened as it did in the movie, and then the next day they defeated Pitch and left Burgess, then that would make this meeting take place on Tuesday instead of Monday. So. Let's just ignore that little timeline slip, please? I really don't feel like rewriting everything...
> 
> Randomness:
> 
> I thought it was really interesting in the movie that Jack didn't just take his teeth when they were offered. He cared more about the Guardians and supporting what they were doing than the thing he had been craving for 300 years- to know why he was there. Even more than that, he wanted to be with them. I think it lends a little credibility to the driving desire to Belong that I've outlined for him here.
> 
> The pretzel sleeping position… one my brother actually used to do as a teenager with loose joints.
> 
> Yes, if Jack has red blood, which is what I'm going with (he's extremely pale, but he's still pink) he blushes red or at least violet.
> 
> I was always impressed with how easily North accepted Jack in the movie, and little gestures like welcoming Jack into his private workspace and handing him the reins in the sleigh and such, communicated a lot. I tried to keep that in character here. Although poor North didn't get a chance to give Jack his furniture gift, with all the drama. :(
> 
> One of the scenes you don't get to see here is that the three other Guardians went to Jack's room to wake him up, even before they went to greet North for the morning. Bunny was just a little out of sorts when he discovered Jack missing...
> 
> *And Bunbun, you may be "reluctant" to hang out with Frosty now, but you're going to fall hardest of all. ^_^


	4. Letter to Pitch

_Dear (I guess) Pitch,_

_I feel really weird sending you this. At least I assume you're going to get it. It's even weirder if someone else is. If you're "someone else," would you mind doing a return to sender kind of deal?_

_If you're Pitch, read on._

_As I was saying, better judgment (wait, how does one tell if it's better?) dictates that I shouldn't be trying to talk to you. I mean, you did try to end all funtimes and happiness, after all. And our last few conversations were supremely… unpleasant, to say the least. For me, anyway._

_But, I dunno, I'd be the world's biggest hypocrite if I went with first (or second… or third) impressions._

_Or ignored someone, forgot them._

_So just in case of the following:_

_\- You actually care about being believed in. Not all spirits do. Actually, most don't, in my experience,_   
_\- You don't want to be alone,_   
_\- You don't want to be forgotten,_   
_\- You're not all 100% bad and you're willing to work on that percentage,_

_Then:_

_\- I won't ignore you,_   
_\- I'll do what I can to try to help you, as long as it's not dangerous and doesn't hurt anyone, especially the children,_   
_\- I think you can have another way forward, too._

_Quite frankly, I don't know what I can do about anything, but I'll try to figure something out. (But I think a lot of it will have to come from you- so, I'm here if you… well, you know.)_

_In the meantime, enclosed is a maze, to pass the time. Help the snowballs reach their targets! Sometimes accomplishing something small can clear the mind. Have a little fun. Y'know, that in and of itself might help. Hint hint._

_All I can say right now is, it's worth it. Whatever it takes. I mean, look at me, I finally really truly want to be here. Alive. Who'd have thought?_

_I believe in second chances. What do you believe?_

_Hoping (also kind of terrified, but you probably already know that, then, huh?) that you get this._

_-Jack Frost_

_P.S. If you are not the person this is addressed to, it's really rude of you to read all the way to the end like this. No snow days for you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, meant to post this earlier! Also, will try to update and post a chapter per day until they're all up. Thanks for reading. :)


	5. New Life: Damaged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that if I'm posting all four arcs to one story (is that a good idea?), I should label the chapters so it distinguishes them. So, the first arc is called New Life for a few reasons.
> 
> I got a fantastic review (on FF.net) on the last chapters that questioned Jack's reaction to his lost memories, saying that it didn't fit the way he reacted in the movie. I really appreciated that, and it's the thing I struggled with the most, both conceptualizing and writing, so I completely get it.
> 
> What got me started on it was: while Jack's reaction in the movie was great, I couldn't help thinking about what he would feel beyond that one first moment of understanding his past. I mean, if I suddenly had my memory restored in such a way that I *felt* those memories and truly remembered my family, I would be devastated that I had forgotten them in the first place and that they were… gone. I mean, holy cow, I remember my family and they're DEAD?! Yikes. I can't imagine suddenly remembering my mother, for example, only to realize I'll never see her again and then just being able to be all happy and excited and save the day with the Guardians. I'd be grieving. 
> 
> So I decided to go with an explanation where Jack watched the memories, but didn't really get them back as his own- there is a difference between watching a video of yourself and actively recalling something from your own head and heart, basically. So with just the *knowledge* but not the *emotional* memory, in the movie, he was just excited to finally have an answer that he could move forward with at first.
> 
> Secondly, once Jack DID get a quiet moment to actually process stuff, how would he come to grips with not only that first point, but the fact that he still didn't know why he'd lost his memories in the first place? In his position, with no satisfying explanation, my first feeling would be grief that it had happened and that I still didn't have my own memories, and from there, self-recrimination. Because how can you forget someone you love? Even if he thought it was caused by something like the shock of death, shouldn't you still know those you LOVE? Whose fault could that be but his own? (I mean, I have an answer that will be revealed later, but Jack doesn’t know that.)
> 
> So I had to create a situation in which his heart had NOT, in fact, ever forgotten, but (and maybe because of that) he still feels that guilt over having mentally forgotten them (again, there is a reason, but he doesn't know it yet). Compounding that feeling is the fact that HE had basically been forgotten by everyone for 300 years, that he was the only one who apparently forgot his own past, that his creator had ignored him for SOME reason since he was 'born'… you have a lot of trauma that makes his irrational conclusion seem correct to him.
> 
>  
> 
> Does that make any sense? It's stupidly complicated of me, and I'm quite unsatisfied with how I delivered these points through Jack's introspection. Continued feedback and questions about plot are appreciated. :)

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

In a dark, decrepit cavern that he had long called home, the King of Nightmares stormed down a murky path, passing a wandering few of the Nightmares and Fearlings he had recently wrestled back under control.

Pitch was furious.

He was.

Seriously.

After all he had done to play upon the boy's fears, feeding off the delicious intensity, that idiot sends him… a gibberish letter and a _game_.

The depths of Pitch's scorn had no end.

Jack Frost was possibly the biggest fool he had ever encountered, sending him this rubbish. And fools are just the sort to forget their fears as soon as they are removed from sight. The worst sort of being.

Unfortunately, if the Nightmare King was ever to accomplish his end goal, he needed to do something with the fool in question. Yes, he had seen it in the instant this nobody named Jack Frost had unleashed a brief glimpse of the real power of Winter- something he hadn't seen in eons. Oh, very clever, Manny, trying to hide it. Pitch wasn't fooled. If any of the strands of his various plots (only a fool- _like Frost!_ \- would think he had only one going at a time) were to play out, this could not be ignored.

But the boy was weak-minded and ignorant and- he glared at the offending letter- gullible, naïve and… a sick smile twisted his face. Malleable.

There was only one real solution. If the winter child could put aside his fear so easily, turn it into a _game_ , then the answer to controlling him was simply to keep that fear in front of him. At all times. Steady, subtle and relentless.

Things had changed with the boy, though. The old fears were being eased. So what terror to prey on now?

A dark laugh. Why, didn't this repulsive letter just provide all the answers. How delightful that the little idiot wanted to be pen pals!

Not that he would ever deign to respond. Jack's missive told him all he needed to know, already.

How ironic.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

Shadows under beds were the last things Jack Frost was thinking of as he soared to the skies with the extraordinary Sanderson Mansnoozie. No matter what trouble or doubt was plaguing him, the winter spirit was always uplifted by the beautiful golden glow that filled the night sky and children's dreams.

It was easily one of the best things he regularly encountered in his three centuries of existence, a moment of happiness and wonder whenever he happened to see the innocent ideas and creatures that made their way to sleeping minds.

A sense of peace. Something that tended to elude him.

He definitely needed that right now. His mind was still buzzing from the meeting with the "Big Four" (as he would always think of them). That was the longest conversation he had actively _participated_ in… ever, possibly, since becoming a living spirit. But if he was going to help, which was his biggest goal at the moment, he needed to learn and somehow become truly useful as a Guardian. He had a lot to make up for, after all. The fact that everyone had been so accepting and encouraging was… difficult to process.

That enthusiasm- had their expectations been so low initially? Or were they just over-compensating in eagerness due to that embarrassing display he made over North's forgetfulness? Or were they just trying to avoid any kind of confrontation and be done as quickly as possible?

The meeting had seemed productive to him, but since he had never been a part of a team… _anything_ … he didn't trust his perceptions. When Tooth had suggested spending time with them one-on-one, his heart had practically stopped. His mind jumped six steps ahead, trying to grasp the idea of spending time with these people almost everyday. To go from endless stretches of having _no one_ to- There were no words. What would- what would that _be like_? But surely the others wouldn't want to spend that much of their valuable time hanging out with the likes of-

And then Bunny, of all people, had agreed.

And North was enthusiastic.

And Sandy made it clear he was, too.

And while there was a voice screaming in his head, " _Yes, yes, YES, I LOVE you guys, Team Awesome forever!_ " there was a much heavier one reminding him that he did not deserve this, and that he must _not_ be a burden. Don't be clingy. Don't make them feel obligated to respond to his neediness. Had he made up for anything yet? No.

But it _was_ their suggestion. And it _did_ make a kind of sense. And it _did_ give him the perfect opportunity to figure out how he could earn his place. And they _were_ all staring at him waiting for a response. And so he carefully agreed.

He suggested Sandy as the first shift not only because he knew the silent Guardian best and had truly missed him when he had vanished during battle, but because Jack needed a little room to work through everything. A calm moment, with the most accepting of his new team mates, so he could center himself again.

Glancing at his companion when they reached cruising altitude, he felt a little guilty. Sandy had just been through an ordeal himself, maybe he needed quiet time without a troublesome tagalong.

"Hey, sorry you have to take first shift with the new guy. I'll just observe, so I won't get in your way or, you know," Jack took a painful breath but kept smiling, "Make a mess of things."

Sandy, who had initially been dancing lightly on his cloud and smiling at Jack, stilled, pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow as the boy made his comments. Wasting no time, he conjured up one of his whips, lassoed the winter child, yanked him from where he was flying in the wind, and plopped him into place right beside him on the sand island.

As Jack sat blinking and getting his bearings, the sandman put his face close, making strong eye contact, and pointed to the forms taking shape over his head. A snowflake, then the four original Guardians in a line. Sandy's form grew larger and stepped forward with a number one appearing. Then a smiley face exploding into fireworks.

Sandy found the way Jack followed his 'story' incredibly endearing, the golden images reflected in his earnest blue eyes, his mouth parted slightly as he watched carefully. The dream-bringer didn't miss the moment a mischievous spark lit the vivid eyes.

"So, you're afraid I'll blow something up in your face?"

Sandy gave him a look and a light punch on the shoulder as Jack laughed. The laugh turned into that vulnerable smile that made Sandy want to hug him tightly as the boy said quietly, "Thanks."

Sighing, Jack leaned forward and lay on his stomach, peeking over the edge and watching the sand reach its many destinations as the world rolled by. Reaching out an eager hand into a sand trail, he grinned as dolphins burst forth and swirled around him. He laughed and sat back on his legs, watching, but Sandy had frozen at the sight.

This meant something. The dolphins. What was it? His face scrunched up and his golden eyes closed, but it was as if his mind was full of slippery threads. Strands of an unraveled memory. Something Important had happened with these dolphins. With a troubled shake of his head, he opened his eyes and looked down, deeply concerned that he couldn't seem to remember what it was. Jack's voice brought him back to the present.

"OK, let me try to get this straight. So, obviously you know what you're doing. It seems pretty straight-forward. Your sand is a means for children to have beautiful dreams." Jack was obviously thinking out loud, moving his hands as if to keep ideas organized while continuing to play with every stream of sand that got close enough. He never seemed to get tired of the stuff. Sandy's amused smile stilled when he noticed Jack had laid down his staff on the cloud space between them.

"Now, this is powerful stuff and obviously has a huge impact on belief. I mean, we were down to a handful of believers and as soon as your sand went out, it was like all this belief turned back on. Good dreams naturally fight back fear, right?" An idea seemed to occur to him. "Oh, and I'm guessing a lot of those dreams were about Guardians, that probably helped a lot, too. And it's great for our current challenge of building back up the believer base."

As his companion continued his verbal thinking, Sandy sat and moved his hand to lightly touch the staff. The conduit of Jack's power. Without which he would fall from the sky. The enormity of Jack's implied trust and comfort-level with him left the ancient Guardian staring wide-eyed at the boy. Jack finally turned to look at his friend.

"So what gets in the way? What would help it work even better?" With a grin he leaned over, finishing in a teasing voice. "What keeps you up at night?"

Sandy's face went from wonder to deadpan instantly. This kid.

With a roll of his eyes (which only amused Jack more), Sandy thought about the best way to answer the question. He created a thin stream of dream sand and showed it approaching a child who was still awake. Then it seemed held back by an invisible barrier. It was clear from the child's posture that she was in a troubled state of mind. Afraid or worried.

"Your dreams don't always reach children that are upset? Too anxious or afraid to fall asleep? Which is probably when they need it most..."

Given an affirming nod, Jack continued, "And kids aren't usually aware of the sand _until_ they're asleep, right? I mean, our battle with the Nightmares aside." Another nod.

Jack put the bare soles of his feet together and grasped his ankles, leaning forward and thinking. "So they need something comforting _before_ they reach dreamland."

Sandy sighed silently at this old frustration and nodded once more. When he didn't receive an immediate reply from his frosty companion, he switched topics to the one that had originally worried him. Patting Jack on the knee to get his attention, he created another pod of dolphins, then an equal sign, a snowflake and a heart.

Jack's face relaxed. "Haha, yeah. I do." He ran his hand through his hair with a sheepish smile. "Dolphins are just so _fun_ , y'know? They love to play, even with ice! They're kind and smart and compassionate." Quickly changing the conversation's focus from himself, he turned back to Sandy. "What about you? I remember seeing you play with a cat out on a roof once a long time ago…"

Sandy half nodded, half shrugged. He made a picture of a variety of animals and pointed down. Then he pointed to himself and gestured to the sky.

"Oh yeah, I guess you wouldn't be in their area most of the time. Except birds, I guess…" he trailed off, running a hand through a nearby cloud. As the mist froze on his palm, an idea came to him. "Oh! Hold on a second, Sandy!"

Two pale hands entered the cloud and blue eyes closed in concentration. With a subtle flash of icy light, a frost-formed cat popped out of the cloud and onto the platform of dream sand. Sandy's eyes grew enormous, and he brought his small hands to his chest as the kitty passed its gleeful creator and walked over to the little man. The cloud pilot's wonder only increased as the animal seemed to rub up against him. When he hesitantly reached out to pet it, it suddenly burst into a light flurry of snowflakes. Sandy jumped up and down, applauding and looking at Jack with such approval, the winter spirit flushed and started babbling with a grin.

"Animals can make great companions. There is nothing more comforting than curling up with a…" Jack trailed off and a look of realization came over his face, about the same time Sandy seemed to get an idea. Glowing sand made a quick image of an animal, then snow, then a child falling asleep.

"You're right, Sandy! This is actually how I got Jamie as a believer- before he could see _me_ , he could see the frost! So maybe if your sand can't get through, something like this _can_ and will help calm children enough to ease them into a sleep state!"

A couple hours of playing around with technique, and they managed to figure out how to combine their magical methods. Silvery blue and golden streams intertwined, formed shapes and rushed to a child who was sitting up, too scared of his first day at yet another school tomorrow to fall asleep. A minute with a frosty puppy and a few snowflakes later, and he was relaxing back into his pillow with a smile, a golden puppy replacing the ice one as he fell asleep. The two Guardians outside the boy's window silently cheered their third successful test run.

As they ascended back to their original height above the suburb, Jack launched himself into a fluffy cloud, arms spread wide. Several flashes of light later, he emerged with a huge flock of silvery birds, which began to glide quietly above Sandy's cloud, ready to transform and reach more children at a moment's notice. Jack landed gracefully back beside his fellow Guardian, but Sandy noticed he swayed slightly for an instant after. With a tired but triumphant smile at the Sandman, Jack pointed to the flock.

"That should last awhile. I think they'll follow your sand's lead, when you identify more of those challenging cases."

A few of the ghostly birds poofed into snowflakes, and Jack frowned, then seemed to concentrate harder on the flock. A golden hand landed on his sleeve, and he turned to see concerned eyes and the other hand making the universal signal for 'slow down.' Sandy was dismayed to see a look of defeat fill the crystal eyes. The rest of the gliding birds then dissolved into a sparkling swirl of crystalline flakes.

"I can do this, Sandy. I need to do this! What use am I as a Guardian if I can't help children to the extent you guys do? Little things are important, but so far I _only_ do little things or… mostly problematic things. I mean, _you_ … you protect millions of kids everyday. How do I even…?" Jack rested his chin on his drawn up knees. Sandy was feeling a bit foolish that he hadn't considered just how lost Jack might still feel about filling Guardian shoes. The boy seemed to have come to a certain understanding about the _concept_ of his Center, but the full implementation was understandably confusing. The Sandman began to reach out a hand, but froze in shock as Jack spoke his next words quietly, as if to himself.

"I spent _three hundred years_ not deserving to be seen, not _worth_ being touched or believed in. And now I have this chance…"

The older Guardian was horrified. Because Jack _meant_ those words.

The winter spirit startled Sandy as he burst to his feet, fists clenched in determination. "I am _not_ going to mess this up." His jaw clenched. "Not like I just did with Easter. I have… I have a lot to make up for." Sandy could only wonder what in the world Jack was talking about. The eyes that then locked onto his golden face were hard in their conviction over that deceiving smile. "It's not a short list after all. Hah, ask Bunny." The eyes dimmed, no longer focused on Sandy. "And no matter what North says, I should have been able to do _something_ to protect you, I mean, you're _good_ and _important_ , and you had my back like that, but I didn't and that's _not alright_ , either..."

To say Sandy was perplexed and concerned would be a drastic understatement. What kind of unwarranted guilt was this young spirit carrying around? It was like he _was_ making a list.

Catching another thought, Jack knelt in front of his silent companion. "Augh, sorry." He chuckled then, but it did not comfort his companion in the least. "Obviously not used to this talking-to-someone thing. How are _you_? That should have been my first question."

When Sandy could only give him a bewildered look at the sudden change in conversation, Jack tried to clarify. "I don't know what happened to you exactly when the nightmares…" A wince."But it must have been awful being trapped in there like that."

Sandy blinked at the raw concern in the boy's tone. This had really bothered the kid, hadn't it? He quickly moved to pat Jack's knee again to reassure him that all was well. Sandy conjured an image of the Guardian symbols coming together again. That's what mattered. Or at least he hoped that message got across.

Jack gave him an unconvinced half smile. After a thoughtful moment, he asked carefully, "Did you… could you understand more about what Pitch was thinking, while you were...? He's so- I don't really get him, but I think- what is his Center really like, does he really have to be alone?" Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair as he blurted this out, but stilled as he looked once more at Sandy. He sat back. "What is wrong with me? After everything you went through, I shouldn't be bringing this up to _you_. I'm-"

Then something even more out of place than this whole conversation happened. Sandy's worry turned into acute anxiety as Jack suddenly stiffened, eyes wide with… pain?... as he clutched his upper arms. Going even paler than his usual tone, and definitely greener, the winter sprite hunched forward, eyes still wide and focused inward. Sandy put both his hands on the now-pasty cheeks, deeply concerned, but Jack seemed to catch his breath a moment later. With a slight tremble, he quickly grasped his staff, rose and jumped from the gold cloud back into the wind's embrace.

And it was as if nothing had happened at all. As Jack lifted his face to the frantically anxious older Guardian, it had its usual, easy smile again. "I'd better get going if I'm going to bring in the chill down south like I should be. I'll work on the frost creatures, don't worry- I'll figure something out to make sure you can use them correctly. I really liked hanging out, Sandy, thanks!" With a wave, he was suddenly halfway out of sight before Sandy could react.

What. Was. That?!

The Guardian of Dreams' usual serene expression now revealed a flood of deeply troubled thoughts about his much younger team member. Jack Frost, the merry, imaginative, playful, kind winter child, had just shown a glimpse of what appeared to be a severely wounded soul with more insecurities than Sandy could keep track of. This was serious. And for that matter, why did first North and now Sandy himself find themselves at a loss regarding a memory with Jack? A sense of foreboding took root as he realized that there was something capital-W _Wrong_ here.

Turning his sand cloud into a rocket- a plane was just not fast enough- the golden wonder shot off toward Asia. If there were troubles of the mind and memory, there was clearly one colleague he needed to engage first.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

Much like the Pole, the Tooth Palace was a constant hub of activity. The colorful, iridescent feathers, tiles and goldwork that filled the space within the open mountain seemed to increase the sense of movement as the light glinted off thousands of surfaces in a dizzying spectacle. The queen of the castle was not in the main cavern, however. She hovered within a quiet inner chamber, her personal library. Book, jars, devices and relics filled every nook of the large round room. She was studying an ancient looking scroll, her fingers wrapped around a handful of crystals. It had been a very, very long time since she had tried doing anything oracular.

One of her mini fairies darted in through the opening that served as a doorway and chirped to gain her attention.

"What is it, little one, I'm trying to-" Toothiana glanced up from her reading and noticed her other visitor for the first time. "Oh Sandy, I figured you'd be with Jack all day." She noticed the smallest Guardian's expression and flitted over. "Is something wrong?"

Sandy's serious face didn't change as he nodded emphatically. Tooth thanked her fairy helper in dismissal and gestured Sandy further inside to a corner with cushions.

"Is it about Sweet Tooth, then?"

Sandy smiled for a moment at her use of the nickname Jack had coined at breakfast, then nodded with a quick snowflake image.

"OK, tell me what happened."

Sandy grimaced and shook his head, looking around the room until he saw what he was searching for. He pointed to the relic. Tooth's eyebrows rose and her head feathers fluctuated.

"You want me to view your memory? Are you sure?"

Seeing the golden head nod to the affirmative, Tooth flew to the appropriate shelf and lifted down a perfectly clear crystal ball. Settling back in front of Sandy she held it out.

"OK, just concentrate on what you want me to see." She closed her eyes. Golden hands joined hers on the crystal, and Sandy followed suit.

A jolt ran through them both and mist swirled through the crystal. When it cleared, both Guardians opened their eyes. Only now, Tooth's expression mirrored her companion's. Amethyst eyes were not quite dry as she looked down at the crystal in her hands and murmured, "Oh, Jack…"

She looked back up at Sandy.

"I didn't realize… I _should_ have realized! How else _would_ you feel, after the past few days, on top of being abandoned for so long?! Sandy," she grasped his hand, "We _have_ to help him. Make sure he _knows_ he's wanted and valued and _deserving_. In this case, words won't be sufficient, so we have to _show_ him. Every chance we get." Sandy held her hand tightly back with a determined look, and Tooth finally smiled.

Then she leaned back, contemplative. "And the comments about Pitch… do you think Jack equates himself or his experiences with that jerk?" The idea made her angry. "And why did he look so sick just before he left?"

Sandy shrugged, troubled. He then made an image of himself and dolphins, and North and a snowflake. The question was in his eyes.

"Yes, I _felt_ what was going on while you were trying to remember- definitely not natural. This confirms it." Her wings lifted her from the ground and she placed the crystal ball in its original location. "That's actually why I'm in here. Instances of magical interference with memories are extremely rare." The fierce warrior side of Tooth then appeared in her expression. "I make sure of it. And that seems to be exactly what is happening here. It must be something very powerful. None of my simple detection methods are showing anything. I'll have to do a full aura reading on Jack. Also, I'm reading up on the few historical records of such cases, so hopefully I'll be able to identify what is going on and what we can do about it."

She said all this rapidly in one breath, before pausing and inhaling deeply. Tooth crossed her arms. "I just wish I knew who would do such a thing to an innocent new spirit? This would have taken considerable effort, so it's not some petty vendetta or mischief. And Pitch didn't seem to care about Jack until he joined our fight; it's more likely he forgot about Jack, too, rather than that he was pulling the strings."

She rubbed her temple. "It's times like these I wish it was easier to get ahold of my father… nevermind. Sandy, I'll get everything ready and when Jack comes to visit I'll talk with him and see what we can do."

Sandy created an image of a crescent moon and a question mark. The colorful fairy smiled.

"Great idea. I'll ask Manny, too. We'll figure this out and help Jack one way or another."

A few exchanges later and Sandy departed to return to his dream deliveries, Tooth having thanked him for confiding in her. The golden Guardian was reassured that the fairy would be able to figure out how to help their boy, and Tooth was determined to get to the bottom of this before another week passed.

Whatever it took, she would be ready to help Jack by Wednesday. They did, after all, have a schedule to keep.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens? Sorry, I feel like this may have been a boring chapter, but I really find Sandy and Jack SO CUTE together, I couldn't help myself. And there was some necessary exposition with Tooth...
> 
> Yeah, Jack is very open and unguarded with Sandy. Like many fans, I imagine they've interacted more normally and on a more regular basis than Jack has with any of the others. I loooooved Jack's face in the movie when the sand appeared for the first time. Going from some angsty head trauma to sweet and hopeful again. Squee.
> 
> And I know I hinted at something significant with the dolphins and Jack and Sandy, but that reveal is going to be a LONG time in coming. Not until the third arc. I just like setting things up early. ^_^ But when I went back and read it, it almost seemed like Jack could have been talking about Sandy instead of dolphins. Not related to the reveal at all, but adorable.
> 
> Randomness:
> 
> I totally lost out on seeing ROTG in theaters. I watched it for the first time in May, after going to the Phoenix Comic Con and seeing a lot of Jack Frost cosplay. Luckily the DVD was out, and I was curious.
> 
> Not only was the movie awesome, but WOW, that's a lot of quality fanfiction out there! I could get into this, I realized. :)
> 
> My only question… how did it get such a fan following before it was even released? Can someone explain this to me?


	6. New Life: Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, poor Jack gets some of the Hurt, but there is no Comfort in sight. ;.;
> 
> And can I just say, this chapter took me forever to write. :(
> 
> THANK YOU TO DragonflyonBreak FOR BETA-ING! Your feedback is fantastic, you're making this fic better already.
> 
> Pitch's reaction last chapter is a bit complicated, in case you were concerned... Simply put, he doesn't like the things Jack makes him think and feel. ^_^ So, it's more like he's OVERREACTING and trying to convince himself, a bit… don't know if that came across.
> 
> You guys are giving me real, thoughtful reviews and I can't tell you how meaningful and helpful they are.
> 
> I received a few wonderful critiques after the last chapter which I again LOVED receiving. About Jack being clingy and not confident.
> 
> I will just say that this was very intentional. I combined a certain back story with the NEWER feeling of being undeserving he got from his thoughts in Chapter 2 (a very pivotal realization that changed his perspective). So it HAS changed his behavior from the movie. This is a Jack who has become a little less confident and a little more traumatized. Sandy has obviously realized it. And it's one of the reasons why I called the last chapter "Damaged." He's kinda consumed by guilt, which sharply increases his need to fix things and prove himself, which was already a pretty strong inclination previously.
> 
> BUT, I don't want to make him pathetic, so please do continue to give me feedback that can make the story and character portrayal better. What you find satisfying or unsatisfying.

__

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack was used to this pain.

Acclimated to the point that he could almost, _almost_ , ignore it once the first rush of the year abated. It only lasted a couple of months.

No, he was more upset that the first round of slicing misery had interrupted his time with Sandy. And made the other Guardian worry _yet again_. Whether the few tears the wind wiped from his eyes as he flew at a breakneck speed were from anger or self-loathing, he didn't know. And he preferred not to think about it.

Whatever the reason, his patience with the one who was summoning him using the typical agony was at an all-time low.

_-ROTG-_

Jack landed softly on shaded grass twenty feet away from a monumental glass hot house that stretched almost as far as the eye could see to the left and right. The "Master Garden," he reminded himself, clamping down on his naturally radiating coolness as a matter of habit. For a long time he had thought it was the most beautiful place on Earth, with its perfectly tended rows and arrangements of every plant imaginable inside, surrounded by a hedge of dense roses outside. But that was before he visited the wild and vibrant Warren with its mystical glow of life and its nature, though tended, allowed to spread more freely. Remembering the Easter paradise's current state shifted Jack's emotions from frustrated impatience to depressing guilt in a flash. As he walked closer to the figure currently pruning one of the outer rose bushes with her back to him, that old feeling locked tightly into place.

From behind, all he could see was her light pink hair, soft and lovely as fresh cherry blossom petals, and the bottom of her pastel yellow dress. The hands that were tending the bush were milky pale with a delicate green sheen, the nails expertly painted lavender. She always knew the instant he arrived, so he chose not to say anything. It wasn't long before she broke the silence.

"Why the Moon _possibly_ chose a _useless_ winter brat to guard the children of the world, I cannot fathom. Not that I particularly care." The tone in the sweet-sharp voice told the lie in that statement, but Jack already knew instinctively that she would hate any positive attention he got that she didn't.

"However. I would have _thought_ it meant being slightly more _responsible_. Imagine my surprise," a sharp snip of garden shears, "To learn that you instead ruined Easter worse than you ever," Snip. "Have before?"

She paused, turned and posed delicately with the roses she had just cut. It always bewildered Jack why she would bother posing when no one was around. She did, after all, consider Jack a No One. The yellow-green eyes, paler than Bunny's, fixed on Jack with the usual scorn- and underlying anger. Although her face was undeniably exquisite, it was devoid of warmth when directed at the frost spirit.

"And now, after I so generously allowed you time to finish your little business with Pitch Black, you have the nerve to make me _wait_!" She stepped oh so lightly in his direction, like a predatory buttercup. "You were the downfall of the holiday of _hope_ , and now you aim to ruin Spring itself?"

She seemed to relish the silent pleading behind the defiance in his eyes as she sauntered closer and lashed him with her words. Grabbing his trembling wrist as he refused to back down, she shoved the roses in his hand, closing his fingers tightly around them so the razor sharp thorns dug into the tender flesh of his palm. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him flinch.

"This is why you will never be anything but a selfish destroyer of what is good. Is it just that you can't bear to see new life thrive?" She squeezed his fist tighter around the stems and watched him finally wince. "How can you _possibly_ protect _children_ , then?"

Jack finally cried out in frustration, breaking eye contact, head dropping. How was it, EVERY YEAR, she managed to find the loudest, darkest doubts in his core, pull them searingly to the surface and give them a voice. She never said something he didn't already know. She just ground them deeper into his psyche, affirming their truth.

He was Winter, she was Spring. He was bad, she was good. He brought death, she brought life. He was to be loathed, she was to be admired. It had been so long since he even considered questioning it.

But regardless of those truths, he now had a new (slightly desperate) purpose, and not even Sephi, the Spirit of Spring would distract him from it. He would just have to… make all his obligations work, somehow.

The pretty spring spirit sighed dramatically and released him. "That's what I thought. Well. I suppose it's up to me to find some use for you, yet again. Go see Nayru. Then come find me to get your assignments after your session."

As she dismissed him and walked away, Jack carefully opened his aching hand and mechanically pulled the roses away from the small bleeding wounds. Guess he'd just be using his other hand to hold his staff for awhile. Shaking his head, the downtrodden youth walked straight to the doorway in front of him that led into the chokingly warm and humid interior of the greenhouse. Better to get this over with. He only had a little over a day before he needed to report to the Tooth Palace, where he would have to be in a good enough state to convince a very observant fairy queen that all was well with the Guardian of Fun.

_-ROTG-_

Toothiana was worried about Jack.

His low self-esteem and misplaced guilt were certainly troubling, but time and support from his new companions would help with that, she was sure. And hopefully drive all thoughts of Pitch-related ponderings from his head. She did not like to think of the dark spirit anywhere near the winter child's mind.

The pain he seemed to be in at the end of Sandy's memory was concerning and confusing. But it seemed to pass in mere moments. Likely it was just exhaustion from having over-exerted himself with his frost creations. Still, she would be keeping a close eye on his health.

What truly troubled her was what she mentally began to call his Invisibility. The more she searched her archives, the clearer it became that something unique was going on here. There were examples of _all_ memories of someone being erased, or _certain_ people's memories of someone being erased, or a _specific_ memory being erased, but nothing fit the subtlety of what seemed to surround the winter spirit.

In addition to North and Sandy's examples, she had asked three other spirits she knew how to get ahold of immediately about Jack. They all had a sort of, "Oh yeah, him," response. When prompted, they could remember encounters from recent years, if there were any. And while they admitted they had met him… sometime… quite awhile ago... none could remember how or when exactly, or any specifics. They also seemed to dismiss his influence easily. They all scoffed when she mentioned the power he displayed fighting the King of Nightmares.

It was more like people just sort of overlooked him. Memories weren't immediately erased- in documented cases like _that_ , people tended to become suspicious that something was going on, as it left other questions unanswered. It was too obvious to last. No, encounters with Jack were just unimportant to people in the moment and sort of… faded over time.

Tooth kept up a frantic pace trying to figure it out until she was too frustrated and exhausted to think. She flew out of her palace once more to clear her mind and look out at the world covered in the darkness and moonlight of deep night. Moonlight. Oh right, ask the Man in the Moon.

Straightening and facing fully toward the bright orb in the sky, she made a plea.

"Manny, we need help. I can't find the answers to this problem quickly enough. Jack needs our help _now_. Whatever this is is destroying him inside. I can't even imagine… centuries being overlooked and made to feel so completely unimportant. If we are going to support each other like we need to right now, we need to know. What is going _on_ and how can we help him?"

The moon flared with brightness in response. A strong wave of sleepiness came over the feathered fairy and she drifted to a nearby ledge. Before she was fully laying down, she was out cold. A moonbeam raced down from the lunar satellite and began to form dream images above her head.

Ten minutes later, Toothiana, Guardian of Memories, awoke. And knew exactly what she needed to do.

_-ROTG-_

The colors. The smells. The warmth. Vivid life. In a way, Jack found them very comforting. There were rows and paths, curving and twisting and packed with overhanging foliage, that led to the center of the enormous space enclosed in glass. He always wanted to have fun exploring, but he had to be careful to keep all winter effects firmly locked away within him when in the Garden. A blizzard in here would be disastrous for the whole planet.

He had been coming here for almost his entire immortal life, and while everything else in the world outside had seemed to change, this place was consistent over the centuries. With samples of millions of kinds of plants of every hue and size, this Master Garden of Sephi's tied directly to the new growth unfurling across the world as the northern hemisphere moved fully into Spring. And as physically painful as it always was, he was secretly glad to be a part of that.

Speaking of which… he looked around for the little blue light that would signal the arrival of his attendant this year. Jack liked Nayru best of all the Spring spirits. She never seemed to resent him. In fact, if anything, she was sympathetic. Instead of feeling angry at what was to follow, he found he could be brave for her.

Just as he reached the platform at the center, he saw her zoom around a curving path. The winter spirit found the six inch fairy even more endearing now that he could see the similarities between her and his other new fairy friends. Although Nayru's small form was more human than Tooth's mini fairies, the fluttering movements were charmingly similar.

"Mr. Frost!" An anxious look as she flew close to his face.

"Evening, Nayru." An easy smile.

"Mr. Frost," she said in her soft, gentle voice, "It took you almost twice as many minutes as usually to come after receiving the summons. I'm worried," she put a tiny hand to his temple, "My Lady was already fit to be tied before she sent the call, and she was livid by the time you got here. I'm afraid she's going to be hard on you this year."

Jack knew this. _Most years_ , he knew to hang around close at hand in preparation. _Most years_ , he didn't have anyone he needed, wanted, to spend a day with that would take him further afield. _Most years_ , he knew not to eat anything for at least a week leading up to the First Draught (as he called it) because the nausea would be infinitely more unpleasant and he'd expel everything before they even started, anyway.

But he couldn't NOT eat with the rest of the Guardians when everyone was digging in to their breakfast; they would notice and it would lead to awkwardness and worry. He had tried to only choose sugary things, because didn't those get processed really fast? Not fast enough, apparently, since he'd had to make three stops on his way over here as his body rebelled and got rid of the offending food matter.

Not Nayru's fault, though.

"It's OK, little one, haven't you heard? I'm a Guardian now, I can take anything she dishes out." Jack gave her a confident grin and a wink. "Let's just get these plants watered so I can tackle whatever comes next."

Her expression became only slightly less mournful, but she knew better than to make it worse by delaying the task at hand. With a sigh, she hovered over the raised platform in the middle of the courtyard.

"Please lie down, then, and remove your shirt."

Jack hopscotched over and flipped onto the dias, eliciting a soft laugh from the fairy. Without ceremony, he removed his blue hoodie, rolling it up and using it to pillow his head as he lay back. The sleeveless white undershirt was staying _on_ , thank you very much.

Nayru's smile vanished as she looked at the boy's arms. Around each skinny bicep, an inch-thick vine was curled. A few days ago, they would have been brown and dormant, little more than decorative bands. But Sephi's "summons" activated their revival. Now the plant fibers were vibrant green, with dozens of off-shooting roots burrowed deep into his skin. And she knew she was going to have to make it worse, attaching more directly from the Garden in batches until they were done. His arms, shoulders and chest were already locked into a grid of tendrils, each feeding off what Sephi had described as Wintermelt, found deep inside his being. Jack was a spirit of ice, and there was nothing better for new spring plants than freshly thawed snow and ice.

And so, once more, for Spring's sake, Jack Frost melted.

_-ROTG-_

This wasn't a place Pitch Black _liked_ to come, but he wasn't _afraid_ of it, either. Unlike most.

Standing before the shallow rushing water, his yellow eyes peered through the murky mist in front of him. Somewhere in there was his prize. A secret, ancient, closely guarded weapon. One did not enter this realm, however, without alerting its Master. Something he didn't want to do just yet. But then, one didn't need to enter a forbidden space if they had allies with ready access.

A hush quieted the sound of the rushing water, and a shadow moved beneath the water's surface, closing in on the Nightmare King. Pitch had to roll his eyes as the creature burst dramatically from the waves, liquid streaming from leathery black wings. One would think a sentinel of death would appreciate subtlety more. But not this one. And that's exactly why he wanted to work with Pitch in the first place. The voice the deathbringer used was deep and gravelly.

"King of Fear, I was pleased to receive notice that you'd like to work together finally. I had long believed my proposals did not reach you." The spirit appeared as a gaunt, corpse-white man with features not quite human and nails that were more like claws. He wore a Japanese-style robe and hovered on bat-like wings. A shinigami, then.

Pitch affected disinterest. "Yes well, I frankly don't see what you have to offer. Fear is what I seek, and once dead, a human is of no further use to me."

The Boogeyman took a disgusted step back as the shinigami flew into his personal space with an eager cry, "But the taste of terror at the moment of death is like the sweetest wine! An ambrosia for the ages! Surely you must agree?"

Pushing the fatal spirit away with a single finger, Pitch realized this was going to be almost too easy.

"I've tasted _better_." Turning and glancing at the ugly creature from the corner of his eyes. "When those who believe they have no mortal life to lose suddenly realize they _do_." Sharp teeth made an appearance.

The shinigami stared blankly at his grinning companion for a solid ten seconds before it seemed to register. "You wish to kill an IMMORTAL?"

Pitch remained silent and smiling. Let this fool interpret that however he wanted. The nightmare spirit wasn't planning on divulging any details. He took pride that no one besides himself could see the unfolding of his various plans. Not until all was in place and it was too late. Oh what delicious terror came in the moment a trap snapped closed.

"I'm sure you can see what that requires?" Pitch stated smoothly.

"But I… I cannot wield the-" The shinigami broke off as Pitch grabbed the front of his robe with a snarl.

"No. But I _can_. There is little risk for you. All _you_ need to do is bring it to me. I'll do the rest. And then both of us shall _feast_."

_-ROTG-_

Jack didn't think he could move. His whole body felt like it was lacerated and inflamed and papery dry. The pale youth lay panting, eyes still closed as Nayru detached the last of the surrounding plants' roots from white flesh. His arms were deeply scarred, and would be for months. The marks didn't usually fade until summer's end.

His mind was stuck in the hazy buzz that remains after one shuts off higher thinking to simply endure an ordeal. How could six hours seem so _long_? Opening eyes crusty with frozen tears unconsciously shed, he saw the plants above, intensely green and bursting with twice as many blossoms as when they began the feeding. Jack gave a tired smile as he saw the early morning light filter down between leaves and flowers. At least it had worked. And they were so pretty. He had helped make them that way, and that was what mattered.

Nayru began rubbing a numbing salve into the hyper-sensitive, damaged arms. She was the only one who ever bothered to do that, and Jack was grateful. He had things to do, and the residual pain was distracting. It also gave him a few moments to collect himself.

When she was done, she perched lightly on his chest with a cup of water, waiting for him to recover.

"Thanks, Nay," his voice was scratchy and dry. Nayru fluttered over and helped him drink. He would need to make sure to take in a LOT of fluids over the next few days, she instructed.

Feeling a bit better, he sat up and slowly, carefully put his sweatshirt back on, covering the scarring and the armband vines that still had a couple dozen roots embedded. For the rest of Springtime, they would maintain a steady trickle of nourishment to the Master Garden, but that never bothered him much anymore.

Six more cups of water later and he was able to stand and pick up his staff from where it rested beside the platform. Carefully plucking a small white flower from one of the surrounding trees, Jack handed it to the little blue fairy with his signature grin.

"Stay cool, Nay."

Wind swirled around him in a sorrowful flurry, checking to make sure her winter child was still whole before carrying him to a location not far from the glass wall. Just as Sephi always knew where he was, the winter spirit always knew where he would find the Lady of Spring.

The pink-haired woman flicked resentful eyes his direction as he landed and the breeze ruffled her dress and long locks. She had always been jealous of his connection with Wind.

"You don't _always_ have to show off. It's extremely unattractive, you know."

"So I've observed," the boy deadpanned before he could stop himself.

Sephi's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Jack _knew better_ \- arguing would only waste time, and he was already antsy to be off and away from this suffocating heat. _Less than 24 hours until Tooth. Just… stay calm. Don't make it worse._

"So," he rushed on, "Assignments?"

Triumph lit her eyes. "Ah, yes." She whipped out a large piece of parchment, folded several times, and held it between two fingers.

"Winter's _attack_ a few months ago has stirred up Summer forces to retaliate. Spring, as usual, is in the crossfire. And the _destruction_ of Easter took its toll on the whole season. It is all the more important to keep the rest of Spring strong this year. You have a _lot_ to make up for." She flicked the paper his direction and turned away as if dismissing him.

Jack waved his staff as the parchment fell and a breeze lifted it into his hands. Unfolding it, his heart stopped as he looked at the map.

"You can see I marked them sequentially. I expect them finished by mid-May," she commented without turning around.

_Stay calm. Don't panic._

"I- I _can't_. I need to watch over Winter down south and more than half of my time is now on Guardian business and this is five times more sites than _any_ other year, you can't really expect me to-"

Jack looked up from the map and took a startled step back as he saw Sephi not two feet away, face twisted in rage, fists clenched.

"I _expect_ you to do your part to fix this mess _you_ made. I _EXPECT_ you to do your _JOB_ without making your new little buddies an _EXCUSE to slack off_. I _EXPECT_ you to do _WHATEVER IT TAKES_ to makes sure Easter is _perfect_ next year." She had him backed up against a tree now, their noses practically touching as she hissed out her final line. "Do you know what would happen if Easter was destroyed _two years in a row_? Do you think any belief would be left to salvage?"

Jack's wide eyes fell and his breath caught in his throat at the thought. Bunny. The children. He had promised. _Whatever it takes_.

And that meant following Spring's orders. Sephi had shown time and again that she knew how to protect the holiday, whereas he only destroyed it if left to his own devices.

He mutely nodded to show he understood.

"Good. Because I don't want to have to see you again this year. Get it right."

The air was filled with dancing petals and then the Spirit of Spring was gone. Looking at the map again, he tried not to despair.

Jack did a quick mental calculation. Sephi wanted fifty locations addressed in five weeks. That was ten per week. Tears filled his eyes in frustration, and he crumpled the map in his fists. There was no way to do that in just the Tuesdays and Thursdays he had free from Guardian business, and he certainly wasn't going to skip Jamie days. And a deeper doubt persisted whether he even had the _strength_ to do _half_ that total in one season.

When tasks seemed impossible or overwhelming, Jack had discovered it was best to _not think, just do_. If he needed to work in a site here and there at night, if he needed to work nonstop for five weeks, that's just what it would take, and he would _get it done_.

In fact, he was wasting precious time _right now_. The very next instant, a cold burst of air headed to Rome, the first location, carrying a determined winter spirit.

_-ROTG-_

By the time Sandy's dreamsand filled the night sky over Cambodia, Jack knew he had overdone it. His legs would no longer support him, so he leaned wearily against his most recent creation.

A pillar of solid ice with a luminescent cerulean core was anchored deep in the ground and rose ten feet above Jack's head. It was the third he had made today, and though it looked simple, the pole was infused with a solid chunk of Winter power that slowly emanated into the earth and air. It would push back against the encroaching Summer in the area for weeks, locking the local nature in a sustained in-between phase: Spring.

He was lucky. So far today, he hadn't encountered any other spirits who would take offense at his work. Both summer and other winter spirits hated when he did this, and they all seemed particularly aggressive this year.

But Jack decided not to think about that at the moment. In fact, he didn't think he could think at all. Haha, that was funny.

"I don't _think_ I can _think_ ," he chortled to a passing butterfly as he toppled over and finally passed out.

_-ROTG-_

"Jack!"

He knew that voice.

"Jack!"

It was important.

He found opening his eyes was surprisingly easy. And he felt so light. The last thing he remembered, not a single muscle in his body seemed to be working. But judging from the fuzzy glowing whiteness all around, he had to consider the possibility that he didn't actually _have_ a body here.

Colors and shapes began to bleed through the white, and in a few blinks he found himself standing in the very forest outside the cabin he grew up in as a human- he recognized it from his tooth memories. Jack's heart gave a jump as he realized he wasn't alone.

His beautiful little sister was staring at him with a delighted smile.

It was like seeing her for the first time… he realized that in the past couple days he had somehow forgotten what she looked like until he saw her now again. His heart had no doubts it was her, though. It felt like a deep, bottomless ache he hadn't even recognized existed was being soothed.

"You were finally allowed to come!"

"Am… am I _dead_?"

"Silly brother, of course not." She twirled slightly, obviously bursting with excitement, and Jack could feel a responding grin spread across his face.

Wait… wasn't there a reason he was supposed to be sad, though? Hadn't he done something terrible? He couldn't quite remember… but looking at her, his heart sped up with joy and it didn't matter. Even without specific memories, he _loved_ her.

"Haha, well what are dreams for if not to have a little fun?"

"Jack, this isn't a dreaAAAAHHHH!" She started running the opposite direction shrieking as Jack leapt at her with tickling fingers wiggling.

A tickle-fest turned into tag turned into hide-and-go-seek turned into story time.

"And so, the grouchy rabbit learned that even if you're obsessed with work, you can have a little fun." Jack finish with a dramatic flourish, tapping his sister's nose from where she lay with her head resting on his knee. She sighed contentedly.

"I missed you, Jack."

His face stilled at her admittance, finally remembering. He had _abandoned_ her, _forgotten_ her. Even now…

He realized she was waiting for his response. How could he say what he meant without hurting her further? Even if this was only a dream. Jack's eyes revealed an endless grief as he spoke. "I… I _still_ miss you. Even though I can't even…" he trailed off unable to finish.

She sat up and pushed her bangs from her eyes. "Remember me?"

At his startled look she leaned forward and until their foreheads met.

"It's not your fault, you know. And that's why I'm here." She sighed and sat back on her heels. "This isn't a dream. It's an in-between place created a long time ago. For us." She looked to her left and Jack saw she was staring at the nearby pond. "You helped me, gave me a life to live. Now it's my turn to return the favor." She smiled back at him. "I'll see you again. Soon, this time."

As she gave her bewildered big brother a kiss on the cheek, the world became fuzzy again, and he was falling…

_-ROTG-_

With a jerk, Jack opened his eyes, gasping as if he hadn't been breathing up to that moment.

What _was_ that? He could remember playing with his sister in that… other place… vividly. This was no fading memory of a dream. In fact, it was kind of his first genuine memory of her, where his _whole being_ remembered being with her. His heart was still hopping around in his chest from the happy funtimes.

Whatever it was, he would treasure it. And deserved or no, he couldn't deny he hoped for its return. Fully awake now, he could tell he was forgetting her face...

As dawn peeked over the horizon, Jack began to sit up, before flopping right back onto the ground with a strained cry.

_Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwowowowowow!_

_Augh!_ Every joint and fiber screamed, and his arms _burned_ with a relentless _fire_. He recognized the deep ache in his chest- yep, definitely pushed his winter powers too far too fast. But he'd felt worse. And the stabbing in his head- dehydration. He could feel the roots in his arms straining to drink.

Ugh. First stop, water. He could hear it nearby. Staff in hand, he politely asked Wind to do the best she could to deposit his sorry behind as close as possible.

Poor Wind tried, but without any input from a limp Jack, she was clumsy at moving her frost child around, dropping him unceremoniously in a heap at the stream's edge. Two minutes later when Jack could bear to move again, he dunked his whole face in. Nothing had ever felt so good. A long drink later and Jack managed to sit up, the remaining drops of water freezing and dropping away. He winced as he pulled off his hoodie and shook it out. Bathed his aching arms in the water. He desperately wanted to freeze that water solid to his arms to remove the burning, but that would kill the vines and roots and be extremely counter-productive in the long run. So it was damp, damaged appendages that made their way back into the blue sleeves.

_OK. I can do this._

With a smile and a thought of his upcoming day with Tooth, he ruffled a hand through his hair and took to the skies, again in control of himself.

The annual Spring ordeal aside, right now was still the best time of his life, he decided. The prospect of ongoing quality time with the Guardians gave him all the inspiration he needed.

_-ROTG-_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno, Toothy, I think the emotional scarring maybe should be the highest worry-priority.
> 
> Sephi is a bit complicated. Also kind of not. Can you guess where her name comes from?
> 
> And how about Nayru? Hehe…
> 
> Shinigami = a grim reaper or death god in Japanese mythology
> 
> Hmmm, I wonder why Jack and Sephi always know where the other is? Could there be some connection? No, no, they're not related and they're not romantic, sheesh.
> 
> And Jack seems to have this coping mechanism of just… not thinking. Which is probably actually accurate- how else do you survive 300 years of solitude and still have a fun spirit?
> 
> And OMG, I had no idea I was going to make that scene with Jack and his sister so FLUFFY. I originally planned it much differently, but Jack just did his own thang.
> 
> I don't know how to pace stories or edit well. ;.;


	7. New Life: Invisibility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not shipping anyone in this story, or the fandom in general, but if I had to choose one… I'd be all for rainbow snowcone or frostbite or whatever they call it now. Toothy, I love you!
> 
> Chapter after this is Bunny. Chapter 7 is North. :) All chappies are Jack!
> 
> Dude, twenty-five thousand words in and we haven't even made it through a week in the timeline. Beginning to see why people do one-shots.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack had thought he'd have trouble getting the perpetually busy fairy queen's attention. He couldn't have been more wrong.

In fact, he was a solid mile away from the tooth palace's mountain when a powerful ball of colorful feathers practically knocked him from the sky.

"FINALLY!"

Jack laughed. "Am I late?"

He tried not to wince as she squeezed still-aching arms. Tooth darted back a couple of feet, her hands still holding his shoulders.

"Of course not, I was just- of course not."

Her slightly nervous look was replaced with one of close scrutiny, and she began to visually inspect Jack from the top of his head to his feet. She mentally went through her checklist.

_Face: I think it's paler than usual!_

_Eyes: Look more tired than a few days ago!_

_Body: I'm certain it's even thinner than before!_

_Teeth: Ahhhh. So pristine. So perfect. Maybe I'll paint a picture of them. I'd have to hide it, or it'll distract my fairies. Speaking of distracted. Get a grip, Toothiana!_

She put her hands behind her back just to make sure she didn't give into the temptation to touch the pearly whites. Then she settled for giving him another quick hug instead.

"I'm just so glad you're here!" She grabbed the smiling boy's wrist and began to fly back toward her palace. "I have so much to tell you! Show you!"

The tooth fairy slowed and turned to face Jack, her expression more serious. "I've figured out a LOT about the memory problems. It's… well… troubling but hopeful!"

As Jack's happy smile faltered into insecure territory, Tooth moved her hand from his wrist to his palm and gave it a squeeze. His wince was ever so slight, but Tooth was a very focused fairy. Bringing his hand up to her face, amethyst eyes widened.

"Jack, what happened?" Concern filled her voice as she inspected the injured tissue.

"Just… just a little accident with some thorns, Tooth, in a week it'll be like it never even happened!"

If he thought he was getting his hand back right away, he had once again gravely underestimated Toothiana. "Mm-hm," She looked closely at Jack, but let the explanation go. "You know, I have just the thing…"

It didn't help that Baby Tooth and no fewer than twenty other mini fairies happened to fly up just then. He instinctively gave them a rather roguish grin. The boy never stood a chance.

Five minutes later, Jack sat practically buried in cushions in the fairy queen's chamber, Tooth's more moderate response having been taken to the next level by her excitable little helpers. Twenty bottles, vials and jars of various healing ointments that had _all_ been applied to the little cuts stood on a nearby table. Seven layers of gauze restricted the movement of his hand (he had firmly refused the sling). Aromatherapy filled the air. And only Tooth and Baby Tooth remained by his side (at the queen's insistence, finally).

Hey, they were efficient.

"Um, I can't help thinking I'm distracting you from your work rather than helping, so far," he teased, hoping to guide the conversation to the reason he came rather than other uncomfortable topics.

"Nope, we have more important things to talk about today," She gave the bandages an amused final pat and began to flit around the room replacing the medicine containers her fairies had gotten out. She sent a slightly resentful glance at Baby Tooth who remained snuggled under Jack's chin on his shoulder. The little underling ignored the pointed look and nestled closer.

"More important than preserving memories and protecting children, and gaining more believers so we can continue doing the first two?" Jack paired his ironic tone with a lifted eyebrow. He hefted a pillow experimentally and then tossed it at the tooth fairy. She caught it easily before it hit and struggled to hide a smile as she gave him a Look. He grinned back. "Come on, you don't create a pile of cushions like this unless you _want_ a pillow fight…"

Tempting. Sooo tempting. But Tooth, unlike Bunny, was able to ignore a challenge (much to her own regret in this instance).

But the fairy queen was suddenly serious again. "Yes, it's more important." Stashing the last bottle, she flew back to him. "Actually, hah, it's technically _about_ all three of those things. Come with me, Jack. Baby Tooth, you have other work to do right now, please." She grabbed a large roll of paper and flew from the room.

Jack gave his tiny companion a final rub on the head. "Don't worry, we can have our own pillow fight later," he whispered. Baby Tooth switched instantly from tearful to excited and buzzed out a window chirping. Jack popped out of the cushion pile and followed the larger fairy, very curious, as she flew almost straight down until she reached a corner of the cavern floor. On the ground was a large, solid golden circle, about 30 feet in diameter.

Tooth set down the paper and pulled a stone lever set in the wall. With the sound of moving rocks and gears, the golden disk split in half and began moving apart, revealing a pool of very still, dark water. Jack hovered over it, but neither frost nor the wind marred its smooth surface. The winter spirit realized the other reason it was so unnerving. There was nothing reflected in the pool, as if it was simply an endless pit covered by a thin membrane. Except… there _was_ a thin, translucent outline of him, an almost transparent reflection. He sent Tooth a questioning look.

The Guardian of Memories smiled and spoke in a hushed voice. "I thought so. I wanted to _show_ you."

She moved to join him above the mystical surface and Jack gasped as a perfect, vivid replica of Toothiana mirrored her progress.

"This is a special memory pool. It's surface interacts directly with the part of yourself that imprints on people's memories. You can see what effect you've had on others. It's a relic of more powerful times." She touched a slender foot lightly to its surface. Instead of physical ripples, scenes of Tooth's life with others flashed by in expanding circles, until they slowly faded. Jack gaped.

"Wow. Oh! Have you ever tried using this on the Groundhog?! He could really use a reality check," Jack chuckled wickedly, "I'll bet we can even get Bunny to help us nab him, he's pretty good at manhandling people into sacks for transport..."

Tooth snorted. Not a half bad idea, really. The rodent got on everyone's nerves.

But they were getting off track. " _You_ try it."

Jack's bravado dropped instantly. "I don't know if that's a good-"

With a no-nonsense look, she quickly pushed down on his shoulders, lowering his feet the last few inches to the liquid's surface before he could react. He tensed, clutched his staff and screwed up his eyes, dread filling him at what might appear. Braving a peek, he straightened. Nothing. The surface was as black as ever. Blinking rapidly, he looked back at Tooth, who was inspecting the spectral outline of Jack's reflection.

"I thought so."

"...glad to meet expectations?"

She laughed, but it was a little sad. "What it means, is that something is blocking the way memories of you are formed. There is no…" she rolled her hands, looking for the right word, "Permanence. Impression. It is like… your mark on Memory itself is completely mutable."

At his scrunched brow, she sighed. Best to start at the beginning.

"I started noticing something wasn't right during the permanent ice thing with North. I know memories, and I know North, that was highly unusual. Then Sandy mentioned he felt like he had lost a memory." Better to keep the full 'conversation' with the Dream Guardian to herself.

"So I asked the Man in the Moon."

Jack's eyes widened. He _really_ didn't want Tooth to know about his punishment. "I'm sure it's noth-"

"He sent a dream and showed me everything."

The winter spirit became completely inscrutable.

"…

…

...everything?"

"Yes! Well, not _everything_ , I don't know _how_ or _why_ , but I know _what_!"

With a burst of energy she raced back to the wall and unfurled the large poster of paper. As she began fixing it to the stone surface, Jack stared, completely confused by the complicated looking diagrams and notes sketched across it.

She pointed triumphantly at the large document. "You're behind a _veil_. A _memory_ veil. One crafted with a skill and strength I've never _seen_ before. Whoever made this was powerful and likely ancient."

"What… what does it _do_?"

Tooth nodded. "Great question, Jack! From what Manny showed me, and what I can tell by looking at your Memory aura- which, by the way, more evidence of the veil's masterful creation, because I could _not_ see this thing without knowing _exactly_ what to look for- it shields other peoples' minds from making a strong or permanent impression about you. People can't help it! They'll just be inclined to overlook you and then forget you over time!"

Tooth winced when she realized how harsh that sounded. But if she expected anger or demands to know who had done such a thing, when she turned from her diagrams back to Jack, she was to be surprised.

He had pulled up his hood and the glossy eyes looking out just seemed fragile. After a heavy pause, he asked a question that sent a crack through her heart.

"What about… _my_ memories?"

Pale fingers tightened around the thin pole of wood he was shielding himself with, waiting for her answer.

"That's... still a mystery, it doesn't seem directly connected" she admitted. "It's not designed to work against _your own_ memories, it affects the _outside_ world's response to _you_."

She missed Jack's hopeless look, immediately followed by resigned self-loathing, as she turned back to her documentation. "Which is why the solution has to come from _your_ side of the veil. _We_ can't put together _our_ memories, but with the right arrangement, you can push _yours_ through. I believe I can create a binding connection between us that will allow those of us outside the veil to prompt for memories, and for you to then share yours. To create a pathway _through_ the veil."

While Tooth was explaining these details, Jack's mind was also working on a whole other line of thought. This all fit better than Tooth knew. So, it wasn't the veil that affected _his_ memory- that was still his fault. And what better punishment for someone who forgot their family than to make sure everyone else forgot _him_? That would mean the Man in the Moon had been the one to place the veil. And if he chose _now_ to tell Tooth how to get rid of it, then this was all part of the second chance he was giving Jack. To earn a better existence again. To earn a family. Maybe even, someday, other friends. Hope was a stubborn thing, and it just kept bubbling up this week, just when he was at his lowest.

He focused intently back on Tooth's lecture.

"You see, Jack, my best theory, and I have a lot of reasons to believe it will work," she tapped the diagrams and notes, "is that every time you allow a memory through, it will wear down the veil. Fray it. It will become less and less potent as it unravels, until it's completely worn through. _Gone_. And it may very well repair _everyone's_ erased memories as it goes, restoring the natural state of Memory itself!" She grinned at him with clasped hands.

This was sounding better and better. Jack flew right in front of her, fully getting into the conversation. "Tooth, you have no idea, this makes SO much sense. I mean, hah, guess who created FROSTY the Snowman, but do people remember that part? Nooo, and it's the _snowman_ who gets a song and a movie and toys…"

"I would rather hear the _Jack Frost_ story, any day!" the fairy laughed.

That gave the winter child pause. "When you say share my memories… what kind of memories? Can it be anything?"

Tooth ran a hand over her head feathers, "Well… it will probably work most easily if there is a common thought on both sides of the connection. It'll act as a sort of conversation- ask and tell. It may be a little unpredictable, but you should have to ability to choose what to share, if anything, once one of us has posed a question."

"Us?"

"Sorry, I'm jumping all around, aren't I? What I was going to suggest is that we create these bonds between you and the rest of us Guardians." At Jack's dubious look she held up a hand. "Take a little time to think about it, certainly. But it will work best with people who are spending time with you already, and the more people getting through, the faster it will go.

"And… I'm sure this isn't something you can believe right now, but we're in this team thing with you for the long haul. We want to get to know you, and you can trust us to respect your boundaries."

The idea of opening up his memories and experiences to anyone, let alone the people he _reeeeeally_ wanted to make a good impression on, made Jack feel queasy. He needed... space to think it through, but another thought occurred to him.

"Wait, what about the kids? My believers? Is _that_ related? I tried everything for _years and years_ and this is the first time… Are they… forgetting me right now?"

The memory keeper seeming reluctant to answer, again. "It's likely, but remember, the process is slow enough that as long as you're with them regularly, it should be OK. Especially if we're weakening this awful… _thing_."

She then perked up. "Actually, just having us keep consistent attention on you has been straining it the past few days, I can already see. I think it was a little bit of that combined with Jamie's extremely open and imaginative mind that helped you land that first believer, finally, despite the veil. Which is why it is so important that we get rid of this thing in order to develop your believer base. The thinner the veil, the more believers you'll get!" she finished with triumph.

He couldn't help getting caught up in her enthusiasm. She was doing all of this for _him_ , after all. He flew around her quickly and relished her laughter as the frosty breezes ruffled her feathers. "Thank you, Tooth. I _will_ think about it." His feathered friend's lovely beaming smile made him think he may have already made his choice.

"I still don't know who created this or why you lost your earliest memories, but I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of everything as we work together." Tooth pushed back his hood and wound her arm around Jack's shoulder, as she looked with hope first at the diagrams she had made and then at the boy next to her.

Perhaps, he realized, he didn't deserve this second chance. But he sure as heck was going to take it anyway.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack lay on his stomach on the dilapidated roof of an abandoned house on the outskirts of Burgess. The gauze used to wrap his hand had been discarded, and he held a pen instead. Whatever medicated goo Tooth had used was a miracle cure, because he could barely see any marks where open wounds had been just hours before.

In front of him was one of the many sheets of paper Tooth had given him. According to her, writing was a good way of working through his thoughts. He knew she had suggested it to tackle the veil decision, but so far he had only succeeded in creating a Mad Lib and writing another rather random letter to Pitch.

Without any reply from the Boogeyman, Jack didn't know what to do other than send something random. But the lonely winter spirit had learned long, long ago that even brief small talk could mean so much if you felt invisible.

With a shrug, he flipped up, over the side of the building and through an open window frame. He had chosen this building for a reason: it had a bed and it was vacant.

Having "delivered" his letter, he wasted no time stashing his writing supplies and heading straight to Jamie's house- a site he'd been visiting casually for years. There were two things that were particularly precious to him right now: time and believers. The idea that Jamie, the first child to see him, touch him, believe in him, could actually _forget_ him was a maddening thought.

It was 2:30pm, and Jamie would be home any minute. The town was Jack Frost's birthplace and home, so it understandably had a reputation for being unseasonably cool for that part of the world. The light layer of snow still covering the ground in mid-April wasn't unusual enough to remark upon.

Snow falling in a bedroom, however, was.

When Jamie rushed in to his room to drop off his backpack, all he could do at first was stop in delighted shock at the little crystals filling the air and the grinning Guardian perched on his dresser. Then he gave a great whoop and rushed over to Jack, grabbing his hand and trying to pull him down.

"You're back, YEAH!" Having succeeded in pulling his friend down to his level, the brown haired boy latched onto him in the kind of ferocious hug only kids with no inhibitions can manage. And for a moment, nothing marred the peace and joy in Jack's heart.

Without fully letting go, Jamie looked up into Jack's face. "I totally thought you'd be too busy with Guardian stuff to come see me until next winter!"

Jack laughed, "Too busy for my best believer? Never!"

As Jamie flushed and his eyes glowed, Jack continue, "Although you're right, the Guardian stuff is keeping me pretty busy, and probably will for a long time. It's fun, though, so I can't complain."

Jamie jumped back, flopping onto his bed as he began asking questions rapid-fire. Jack, hopping up to perch on the chest at the end of the bed, treated it like a game and sent answers back just as fast.

"So what are you guys working on?"

"Getting believers, and learning to work together as a team. That's my challenge, mostly."

"How are you doing that?"

"Hard work and deadlines! Haha! Actually, we're looking at what things we can do new or better. I get to spend time with each one of them at their work each week. How cool is that! Although, don't tell Bunny I said so…"

"Cooooool! What have you gotten to do so far?"

"I created an elf monarchy at the North Pole, started to learn how to use my frost powers with Sandy's dreamsand, and checked out some of the mystical things at the Tooth Palace."

"The Tooth Palace?! Whoa!"

"Yeah, I was going to spend the whole day today learning about tooth fairy business, but Tooth said she was going to be busy preparing something that… well, something for the next Guardians meeting."

"I'm glad. I mean, that you had some free time today. I usually draw a picture of you every afternoon, but it's so much better to see you in person." With a gap-toothed grin, Jamie pointed to three new pictures on his walls. They all depicted scenes with the winter spirit.

Jack's lips parted in wonder. A humbling feeling stole over him as he looked at these homages his new believer had made. At Jamie's next words, however, he felt like something fragile inside him splintered.

"I know it's silly, and I know what you said about always being there and me keeping belief in my heart, but I just… still felt worried for some reason. I want to remember everything about you always. I still had this scared feeling, like if I couldn't see you, I'd forget. So I decided I just needed lots of ways to remind myself."

Suddenly it wasn't just sweet and charming anymore. Jack noticed the crayon drawings had been placed all around the room, as if to ensure that no matter where he looked, Jamie would be able to see a reminder of his frosty friend.

At Jack's silent and sad look, Jamie crawled across the bed to his side and hugged him once again.

"But you're here for real, and that's the best way of all."

Sometimes children can embrace intuition far more easily than adults. So when Jamie sensed that the hug he was receiving back from Jack was a little desperate, he didn't question it. If his magical friend was the one needing comfort this time, he would give it without hesitation.

"How about Sundays, for sure?" Jack murmured without releasing his young believer.

"What?"

The winter spirit finally backed up a bit, resolution and determination blazing in his eyes.

"How about I for sure come visit every Sunday? There are tons of fun things we can do, even if the weather is warmer!"

The enthusiastic response was all Jack could have asked for, and even though it was only Wednesday, they got started right away. Jamie knew he'd get a lecture for not doing his homework first, but he gave it barely a thought as he burst from his back door and raced the frost spirit to the nearby woods for a game of hide-and-seek-stealth-snowball-war. Somehow, almost organically, the rest of the children showed up within 10 minutes after they began the battle. The Call of Fun was a strong one.

By the time the sky was getting darker and the young people really couldn't delay returning home for dinner any longer, every one of them felt happier and lighter, their hearts stronger.

Even Jack, who knew he had to get back to the grueling work of Spring, couldn't stop grinning as he bid them all goodbye "until Sunday!" and flew over the town to check on a certain bed. Sure enough, the shadow beneath the mattress was all that remained.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Perhaps if Jack had been less distracted, he would have noticed them earlier. If he hadn't been thinking so hard about how to handle removing his veil curse, now that he was absolutely determined to do it no matter what, he would have remembered whose territory he was in. If he had thought to check his surroundings rather than pouring everything into creating the pillar in front of him so he could quickly move on to the next, he may have gotten away without trouble. It's not like the other beings were easy to miss.

So Jack really felt he could only blame himself when, just as he was beginning to fly away, he was snatched from the wind in a large fist and slammed into the ground he had just left.

Frost giants. Three of them. In full form.

Their glimmering, translucent, fifty foot figures of shifting, living ice and mist only _seemed_ airy and transparently ethereal. To Jack, it was like several tons of muscle were trying to simultaneously smush him into the ground, crush his insides, and pull him apart. In fact, it may very well have been the fact that they couldn't decide on a single gruesome fate that prevented any one of them from being completely effective, as they fought to snatch him from each other.

The frost giants were not usually a match for Jack Frost. He was slippery, he was fast and he could fly. But if he was actually _caught_ , their sheer brute strength could certainly do some damage before he managed to escape. After all, beings that could shepherd glaciers to create and maintain the fjords themselves were nothing to sneeze at.

And two minutes of being manhandled by giants- squeezed in massive fists, slammed into rocky surfaces, yanked around by whatever part of him they could grab hold of- could do a number on anyone. Finally managing to dart out of range, Jack flew as fast as he could from the Scandinavian part of the world toward a certain continent floating alone in the Pacific. He was able to mentally take stock once the screaming pain in his head had died down a bit.

Whole body: Ow.

Head: Definitely not in one piece, it felt like. It was probably only the spikes that seemed to have been driven into his cranium that was holding it together. Not sure if it was still attached to the rest of him.

Ribs: Only curse words came to mind. Definitely some cracked.

The most important thing, though, was whether any of it was _visible_. It was Thursday night, and the winter spirit had just completed four more pillars within the past day. His chest and stomach were hollow and wound tighter than a tornado from the effort. Until the frost giants, he had managed to avoid trouble- and he couldn't really blame them. In their eyes, he was a snow spirit using the power of Winter to extend the reach of a different season. Unforgivable.

But in less than eight hours he would be hanging out with a Pooka who missed nothing. If he thought Tooth was too observant, he couldn't imagine what facing Bunny would be like.

So, as soon as he spotted a glassy surface of still water below, he flew low, keeping his frost to himself, and looked at the few exposed areas of his skin. His feet weren't a problem. Hands, shaking with a scratch here or there. Face… ouch. One side was solid black and purple here he'd been slammed into the frozen earth. Somewhere in the hair on the other side he must have a deep gash, judging by the red that was dying the strands.

The pain was matched with frustration. He could take five or six hours and waste a good portion of his lagging energy to do some surface healing to cover up the marks. But that would be the whole night wasted, not to mention his power reserves, which were already practically dry. He kicked the surface of the water, which turned out to be totally unsatisfying.

What choice did he have? His personal mandate to not make anyone worry trumped the other considerations. It was his fault he was in this position in the first place, so it would be his burden, not someone else's. He would just have to make up for lost time and power later.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack arrived at the Australian coast just as daylight was greeting the beautiful and strange landscape. A stop in the Himalayas, with their abundance of snow for his treatments, resulted in pale skin and white hair once again. Harnessing Winter power for healing was not an easy thing, and he was not particularly good at using it on himself, so he only attended to the cosmetic needs. The pain, swelling and cracked bones would take care of themselves over time, he knew.

The snow spirit had come to Australia not because he needed to meet Bunny in an hour- he could get to the Warren from anywhere, after all. But he knew for certain no Winter spirits would follow him here. There was only one he knew of who enjoyed this place, but Farore was not a threat.

In this southern land, it was Fall, not Spring. As he floated through a busy tourist district in Perth, drawn to the comfort of being around people, he tried to remember the last time he had seen the Autumn spirit, Demi. Rare as his encounters with her were, he had always enjoyed her kind, comforting, matronly nature. She never hesitated to give him a hand or good advice when he randomly met her every few decades. He wondered what she would think of his new position...

All thoughts of Demi vanished as a little tourist trinket caught the youth's eye, and he grinned. In a stall selling "authentic aborigine artwork" was a little wooden kangaroo that for some reason had a short, fluffy tail rather than a long, tapered one. His outburst of laughter came to a quick end as pain flared through his chest and he lost the ability to breathe. But the smile was back an instant later. Ohhh, this was too good. Digging through his pocket for the few lost dollars of change he collected out of habit along the street, he picked up the figure and left the money in its place.

Jack remembered a scene from a popular children's movie about talking toys that he had watched once through a window, and he knew how to make this "present" for Bunny even more fun…

After all, when invited to someone's home, it's only polite to give a gift to the host.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toothy, his hand wounds are the least of it! Heh, am I the only one who thinks she is going to go nuclear when she catches on to the whole Spring situation? Mweheheheh.
> 
> I know many have done a plot with Tooth finding a way to share Jack's memories for some reason. This is my (long, convoluted) spin on it. It didn't have to be Tooth who figured it out, but I figured it made the most sense.
> 
> I am going to be SO GLAD when I've set stuff up well enough that I don't have to do so much exposition. I hate slogging through writing it. Would rather just do fun character-centric or action scenes… If I were a better writer, I'd find a way to combine explanations more naturally in the story.
> 
> Bear with me. ;.;
> 
> To answer a reviewer question, you will have to wait and see what Jack's place is in the spirit world, especially as it relates to Seasons. Don't worry, I think I have a pretty satisfying headcanon and plot for it?
> 
> Randomness:
> 
> I love Jamie. Ugh, whatever, I love all these characters.
> 
> I don't really know any of the lore of frost giants, and I kind of wanted to keep it that way. If I'm taking something from myth/legend, I'm only keeping a loose similarity. Kind of like Joyce/Dreamworks. :)
> 
> The movie Jack is thinking of is Toy Story. The fear of abandonment really spoke to him with that one. He may have written "Moon" on the bottom of his foot at some point. I dunno.
> 
> Review if you think Jamie is awesome adorbs!


	8. Letter to Pitch 2

_Pitch-man,_

_I was at Tooth's palace today and it made me realize how very many teeth canisters she has in her inventory. Suddenly I realized, I would have no way of finding mine without her help, and I wondered…_

_How did_ you _find mine in that big old pile? And how did you know it was mine, anyway?_

_I think if I made one of North's nesting dolls of you, at least one of the layers would be Enigmatic and one would be Clever._

_Don't get a big head, though. One would be Clueless, haha. :)_

_Anyway, this is my second test to see if I can contact you this way. If this one disappears, I'm going to assume it works._

_And, to make this more interesting, I've enclosed a Mad Lib. I included instructions, just in case you haven't done one before. They can be pretty hilarious._

_In closing, Jack Frost's life lesson of the day: Life can get weirder and better at the same time._

_-JF_


	9. New Life: New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what I'm doing with this chapter. I think it's the first one that takes place sequentially with the same characters the whole time.
> 
> I think what's challenging with Bunny and Jack is not to exaggerate their personalities, vulnerabilities, flaws and reactions to each other, just because they DO have such strong interactions and misunderstandings when they clash. Keeping them believable and their behavior understandable, while still fully realizing all the emotional potential and developing an incredibly strong bond. And actually giving a realistic timeframe for that to develop.
> 
> How?! Someone else want to write this!?

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Free access to the Warren was not granted to everyone.

Bunny and his eggs, of course, could create passages at will that connected to one of the major continent tunnels leading to the core. Spring spirits had the ability to access the established tunnels, as well, but it was polite for them to make their presence known and be welcomed in. The Guardians also knew where major access points were and could enter without fuss.

No spirit of Winter had ever intentionally been granted such access. Jack Frost was now the exception.

Bunny had somewhat reluctantly agreed to make the static access points visible to the newest Guardian, and Australia was positively packed with them. Jack could see the faint golden green glow stretching up a hundred feet from each spot.

He stood in front of one of the light sources and knew he only had to hop in and he'd be in one of the warm, green underground pathways. The injured winter spirit paused a moment to mentally conquer any involuntary signs of pain that would give him away. _Act casual. Act casual. Act cas-_

The mental mantra ceased once Jack had stepped carefully through the opening. His feet crunched down on broken egg shells, and all the horror rushed back. Easter. Millions of eggs. Broken hope. Lost belief.

All his fault.

Suddenly his little kangaroo peace offering seemed like such a joke.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Bunny had been working almost non-stop for the past three days. The task at hand had made him cranky to say the least. It's hard to put aside a recent trauma when you're left cleaning up the broken pieces, literally. They may have "only" been eggs, but the Pooka had carefully crafted them, cherished them and all they had come to mean for the children of the world. And now he had hundreds of tunnels full of their remains. He could have left them to naturally decay and return to the ground, but that just… didn't seem right. To walk over them everyday.

Bunny stomped with another large armful of the egg bits to the massive pile he had gathered off to the side in the biggest tunnel-connecting chamber of the Warren.

Needless to say, he was not in a very charitable mood. So when he sensed a new presence enter his home, and realized who it was and what day it was, his first thoughts were not of hospitality.

_Let him find his own way here._

He scooped up another armful of fragments and threw them on the pile.

_Heh, I can certainly put him to work._

Another armful.

_What's taking so long?_

And another.

_Either he's dawdling or the clueless kid has gotten himself lost._

Another load.

_Well, he's not getting off that easily, I'm going to find him and haul him in here so I can get a full day's labor._

As he turned toward the tunnel he knew Jack had entered at the other end of, Bunny stopped short. The boy was already _there_ in the opening to this chamber, standing unnaturally still and just staring at the fifty foot pile of egg shells. He was doing that _thing_ again- the thing where Bunny couldn't read his expression. His staff was perfectly balanced horizontally on just the ends of his fingertips lightly curled in towards his palm. The barest breeze would have made it fall from his nearly-open hand.

Some animal instinct in the Pooka went on immediate, uneasy alert at the lack of signals to read, and the fact that with all his superior senses he hadn't been aware of the winter spirit's presence. And for other reasons he couldn't quite identify, Jack's blank stillness and the unusual way he was carelessly holding his staff upset him. It just… it wasn't _Jack_ , whose unguarded face always shifted so rapidly, typically displaying every emotion flickering through him, and who treated his conduit as an extension of himself from deeply honed habit.

The whole situation did nothing to improve Bunny's mood.

"Perhaps you'd like to stop staring at it and start contributing, mate? Th' pile didn't make itself, and I'm not even halfway through the lot." The Pooka gestured to the many tunnels still obviously littered.

He was rewarded when Jack seemed to snap out of his mental paralysis, fingers once again curling tightly around wood and eyes sharpening. The blank look was replaced with a tentative strength and resolve Bunny had come to recognize during their recent days together, despite the perpetual underlying insecurity.

The boy nodded. "I got this." And he flew immediately back down the tunnel he had just arrived from.

Bunny raised an eyebrow in confusion and hopped over to the entrance, wondering what, exactly, the Winter wielder thought he 'had'. He didn't have to wonder long, because suddenly there was a...

_Bloody tornado!_

...of wind and egg shells that blasted from the passage, flinging him into the huge mountain that he'd already built. His mood went from uncharitable to enraged in a heartbeat. Not only did Jack not respect the loss of his googies, the frost fiend turned their remains into… into a _game_!

"FrooooOOOOOOST!"

Jack zoomed into view, "Bunny! Whoa, I didn't mean to-"

"What the HECK _do_ you mean to do by blasting a flippin' blizzard through my Warren?"

"I just thought it would be _quicker_ if I-"

"There is NO. WINTER. In MY HOME."

When Bunny got no further response, he stopped brushing himself off and actually looked at Jack. All the anger deflated right out of him. The Pooka had expected a grinning imp, impressed at his own trick. But if he thought he'd seen vulnerable, broken Jack when he had yelled at the boy on Easter, it was nothing compared to the sorrow he saw him wear now, hunched in on himself and eyes glassy.

_Great job, Bunnymund, tell the kid he's unwelcome as soon as he shows up._

Bunny's whiskers drooped, ears flattened, and he realized once again he needed to think before he let his temper flare up. He knew he needed to make sure the kid felt included in their team, if they were ever going to get anywhere as Guardians. If North could 'wipe the slate clean', then so help him, Bunny could, too. And he was fair enough to recognize that not all of his past impressions of the winter youth were correct.

Jack may have failed to protect Easter this year, but when it really counted, he had protected Bunny and Hope itself, keeping that belief alive in one last light.

No matter how he had tried to brush it off in the past, one look at Jack's face right now and the Pooka had to acknowledge that the boy took their words, _his_ words, hard. Bunny was still slightly uncomfortable when he thought about the things he had said to Jack when the young spirit had shown up at Easter.

"Look, just… tone it down with the wind and the freezing while you're here, that's all, mate."

Bunny deliberately eased himself out of his fighting stance and tried to look non-confrontational, but Jack didn't move any closer and just stared fixedly at him. Prey to Bunny's predator. The grey warrior found that really irked him.

"You know, there are other ways of handling things, instead of blowing stuff around all the time. Might even put some muscle on that bean pole frame o' yours, make you useful in a real fight, if you didn't make the wind do all your heavy lifting."

So much for easing off. _Why is this so hard?_

The words seemed to snap a little bit of life back into the frost spirit, however, as he replied defensively.

"There's not much I _can_ change about myself physically. I am what I am."

"Yeah, your flimsy stick is bigger than you are. That's not the point. It's what you do with what you've got."

"Whatever, I can take care of myself in a fight. I saved _you guys_ from Pitch, remember?"

"Oh yeah, tough guy? Let's see how ya do in a real fight, one-on-one, no magic."

Jack faltered. That would require a lot of physical effort, resulting in a lot of pain. _That is a terrible idea._

Bunny smirked. This was a great idea. He'd make sure not to hurt the kid, just show him he had something to learn from a trained warrior. If they were to fight alongside each other in future, it was a useful lesson to take in.

Seeing Bunny's superior smile, Jack straightened up, leaned his staff against the closest wall and took what he believed was a good fighting stance. This is what it looked like on the TV shows kids watched, after all. Although he still had superior balance and spacial awareness, without Wind or his conduit, he was definitely out of his element. Bunny, to his credit, tried REALLY hard not to laugh in his face. It was slightly less funny when he realized that if anyone actually WAS to attack the child without his staff and unable to take flight, the winter sprite would be creamed. _Right, time to make a point._

In one blindingly fast bound, Bunny had Jack pinned face first into the soft grass covering the ground. He rested his body weight on the arm he had planted firmly across the boy's narrow shoulders, to ensure he wouldn't escape.

"Forget offense, mate, you can't even manage defense yet."

The figure below him was perfectly still. In fact, Bunny noticed with alarm, was he even breathing? He quickly lifted his weight and rolled the limp winter spirit over, noting his eyes were closed and the pale face was completely slack. What had happened?! He had barely touched the kid! Before the Pooka was able to spring into panicked action, Jack suddenly gasped and took in a deep breath, eyes fluttering open, then scrunching closed. The prone figure curled into a ball, arms around his ribs.

Holding up his paws helplessly, Bunnymund tried to figure out how to help an obviously hurting winter spirit. He put one hand lightly on the boy's back and moved to place the other on his chest. He spoke with a firm urgency.

"Jack, can you tell me what's wrong, what's hurting? What happened?"

As the more experienced Guardian moved to lift the blue sweatshirt to examine the injured chest, Jack squirmed away, breathing labored.

"What do you THINK happens if you slam people into the ground?! Urgh! It kinda HURTS!"

The boy immediately regretted his outburst as Bunny looked at him with remorse and concern, ears flat.

Argh, he couldn't believe he had passed out from pain, however temporarily, in front of _Bunny_ of _all people_. Now the warrior was looking at him as if he were about to _break_. Suddenly Jack couldn't help laughing, even though it hurt like heck. The problem was that things were _already_ broken. Egg shells and promises and rib bones…

Somehow, Bunny didn't feel particularly reassured by the boy's pained laughter. This whole situation was _way_ beyond his comfort zone. He decided to focus on the problem he _could_ identify.

"You need to learn to defend yourself bettah'."

Jack stopped laughing and just glared back. He couldn't really come up with a counter argument after that pathetic display.

"Before you can defend others on your team, ya need to make sure you can take care of yourself, first."

Jack's sulky expression shifted to one of consideration, and Bunny realized he was finally getting through.

"Now this," the Pooka stood and imitated the stance Jack had taken initially, "Is a great way to get knocked over. You should lower your center of gravity and brace your legs like this, keeping slightly on the balls of your feet. Angle your body like so, if your attacker is in front of you, and hold your arms ready to attack or defend, like this."

Bunny fought a grin. Jack's concentrating face _was_ pretty adorable. His clear, bright eyes followed every movement. It made Bunny think back to the boy's earnest expression in battle. _Hah, speaking of which..._

"I frankly can't believe you tried to _kick_ Pitch at the end of our last fight. You did more to knock yourself off balance than Pitch- I think the only reason it made 'im pause was cuz he was so shocked by you takin' such an approach. What made you go for a kick after all the significantly more effective ice blastin'?"

Jack flushed and broke eye contact. "Well it worked pretty well for _you_ …"

Bunny finally burst out laughing. _That was it? He was imitating ME…?_

Jack buried his face in his arms, resting across his knees.

"Alright, that's it. You're going to learn to do it right. Frankly, a little martial arts at the start o' these sessions is probably just what we need to work out your nutty energy so we can bloody focus on our job here."

Blue eyes and red cheeks peeked over arms. Bunny gave a lop-sided smile and jerked his head to the side, motioning for the boy to follow him to a clear area of the field. Jack slowly unfolded and stood, looking uncertain.

"No more throwing me on the ground?"

"Not today, mate."

"But, what about the…" the youth gestured to the mountain of broken eggs and the several tunnels still littered with them.

"Been doing nothing but for three days. I could use the break. No excuses, come on then."

Jack joined Bunny on a grassy stretch and was unexpectedly intrigued by the Pooka's instructions and his own attempts to follow them. Painful twinges barely registered. The ideas and theories behind the simple movements and positions he learned turned something like the placement of feet and fists into a strategic decision that he could understand. The winter spirit found himself surprised that it was two hours later when his teacher gave him practice instructions and announced they were done with the training session.

"Already?"

Bunny's approving look sent a flutter through Jack's stomach.

"You need to practice those basics before we can continue. Try and take an hour everyday, and we should be ready to move on to new concepts next week."

Jack looked uncertain. "I don't think I'll ever be able to really… bulk up…"

"What'd I say earlier? It's about what ya do with what you've got. Build up your muscle memory and your strategic thinking, and you'll be surprised at what ya can accomplish. You're biggest problem isn't your size, it's your focus." Bunny tapped his head.

At Jack's doubtful look, his teacher continued.

"Think about when we were racin' to collect teeth. You can bloody _fly like the wind_ , there's no reason you should have fallen so far behind. But ya didn't take the time to think about your approach or how to do it most efficiently, just darted around. And that first battle with the Nightmares, you almost got knocked outta the sky in the first 30 seconds cuz ya didn't pay full attention to your surroundings."

"Point taken." _I've got the aching ribs reminding me of_ that _truth..._

Bunny nodded. Jack's tone told him that was enough of an explanation. He found himself grateful for the warning not to push it further. He didn't particularly like the sense of guilt he kept getting when he seemed to hurt the boy's feelings. The Pooka admitted he wasn't very good at figuring out those particular boundaries...

The furry warrior was surprised when, with no further discussion, Jack walked right by his staff leaning against the wall and gathered an armful of shells from the closest cave. Depositing them on the pile, he raised an eyebrow at Bunny. With half a grin, the Guardian of Easter started working on the adjacent tunnel.

After half an hour working in companionable silence, Bunny noticed Jack had slowed down considerably, his movements more jerky. And it was hard to tell, but he seemed paler. The furry figure cleared his throat to gain the boy's attention and stretched nonchalantly.

"Dunno 'bout you, mate, but I could use a drink."

At Jack's relieved expression and nod, Bunny knew he'd made the right call.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Grass, Jack decided, was awesome. So was lemonade, especially when it froze slightly into a slush. So was laying down when everything was aching. No regrets on the pain, though. Bunny's lesson was the awesomest thing of all. While he had learned a lot of 'lessons' in 300 years, the Pooka was now one of only four beings who had ever taken the time to _teach_ him anything.

Somehow, even with his eyes closed, the gentle sunlight shining down from above seemed to make him happy. This really was the most beautiful place on Earth. Ancient and rich with life, it felt like a place of healing and new beginnings. He could feel himself drifting…

Shaking his head and opening heavy lids, Jack tried to drive the sleepiness away. It was only midday! He rolled his head to the side and saw Bunny hunched over, every ounce of focus on the small egg and paintbrush he held. Creating a new design, apparently, his own half-drunk glass of lemony goodness beside him. Rolling his head the other way, the winter spirit considered the fifty foot mound of crushed shells. They were still colorful and pretty. It would be a shame to just… throw them away.

Jack sat up carefully. This was a place of new beginnings, after all.

"What do you plan to do with them?"

"What?" Bunny looked up.

Jack nodded to the pile. The Pooka sighed.

"Dunno yet."

Jack picked up a nearby shell and turned it over in his hand, fingers tracing the fragment of the design. He mulled an idea over in his head and tucked it away for later. There was something more important he wanted to talk about with Bunny.

Hopping lightly to his feet feeling much more refreshed, he trotted over to pick up his staff and then flew back and landed lightly in front of the Pooka.

"OK, time for Operation Exceptional Easter!"

Bunny snapped his head up from his egg painting and scrunched his face at the frost spirit, extremely wary.

"W-what? Operation what?"

"Nooo, Operation _Exceptional Easter_! Our mission: to make next Easter the best. Ever. To explore strange new techniques. To search out new ideas and new inspiration. To boldly go where no Guardian has gone before!"

When the Pooka's unimpressed expression didn't change, Jack figured he wasn't a Trekkie and tried again.

"C'mon, don't you want to hear my ideas?"

"No." Bunny went back to painting the egg and smiled internally when Jack began flying back and forth and wheedling him, trying to convince the furry statue that it would be so cool and get the kids excited about the holiday again and earn the Easter Bunny a ton of new believers.

At last Bunny decided he had tormented the kid enough.

_Almost_ enough. "Alright, alright, you have thirty seconds to make your case."

Jack's eyes widened. This sounded like a _game_. He grinned at the challenge.

"OK, OK, OK! So what better way to get believers overall than to strengthen kids' belief in _all_ of us? So next time something happens to _one_ of our jobs, there are _other_ things that keep children believing in that Guardian besides just what he or she does themselves. Instead of just using eggs to get kids to believe in the Easter Bunny, why not reinforce the whole team's image and vice versa? And there's an excellent way to do it! Kids LOVE collecting things… why not create Guardian-themed Easter eggs? It's like trading cards, kids obsess over those. They trade them and collect them, show them to each other and talk about them. A little Guardian team flair can spice it up and go a long way to _keeping_ their attention, inspiring their imagination, helping them have more _fun_ \- all while reinforcing that we're all there supporting them. I mean, not _all_ the eggs should be special like that, just a few. Rarity is important. Sandy already does this kind of stuff with his dreamsand, but I have ideas for Tooth and North, too. Oooo! We could even color coordinate the eggs to each Guardian, right?"

The hyper sprite had actually managed to blaze through the entire explanation in under a minute. Impressive. It took Bunny a couple more to actually _process_ what he had said. And then he had to admit, it was an idea with merit.

"I'm not agreeing to this, per se, but... how d'ya propose we customize 'em, then?"

Jack had been holding his breath as the bigger Guardian thought through his proposal, and he nearly exploded with excitement when Bunny seemed interested in exploring the idea.

"I got the general concept last time I was here, but… can you show me your process one more time?"

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Creating precise images from frost was not as easy as it seemed. With a bare tap of his pinky, the shapes wanted to expand as far as he'd let them. At the moment, he just wanted something small enough to fit on an egg.

He finally got one of Tooth that he was satisfied with, and handed the basic blue egg to Bunny. The rabbit looked at it skeptically, but dipped it in the lavender dye river, anyway. As he lifted the now shiny egg out, the paint rolled off the frosted over part, leaving only the blue shell beneath the ice. It was a little Tooth stencil. Only problem was, the delicate edges of the frost image had already begun to melt while submerged in the Spring magic of the river, and the image looked less like the tooth fairy and more like a scraggly star fish.

Bunny burst out laughing for a second time that day- man, that felt good- at Jack's frustrated pout.

"Ohhh, mate, I'm totally showing this one ta Tooth!"

"Don't you _dare_!" The boy made a grab for it.

"Oh Toothy, Jack was so inspired by you, he just had to make this special googie to show you how he sees ya!"

Bunny hopped back a few feet, still holding the egg out of reach as Jack picked up his staff, red in the face.

"Note the figure's jagged plumage, the hunched ba-ACK!" Bunny dodged a frost blast and continued, running from the determined winter child, guffawing. "The spiky horns upon your head!"

And despite himself, Jack couldn't help laughing, too (ouch, still hurt). Who knew Bunny had a funny bone?! But Jack… Jack was no novice to pranks.

"Hey Bunny!"

Bunny glanced over his shoulder and his eyes grew huge. Jack was holding his staff over the dye river itself, wind gathering around him.

"I think we missed a spot!"

SPLOOSH!

The next thing the Pooka knew, a massive splash of shiny purple dye coated everything within twenty feet of him. _Including_ him. As he spluttered and reached up a paw to wipe his eyes clear, he felt the egg being snatched from his other one. His eyes snapped open to reveal the very cocky grin of a very amused spirit of winter, who was making a show of carefully inspecting the egg.

"Yup, got it."

* * *

_-ROTG-_

In the end, Bunny had his revenge. Funny thing about fur- it can absorb a lot of liquid and create quiet the spray when shaken free, thoroughly drenching any pesky pranksters nearby. Looking at each other's grinning purple faces, they wordlessly decided a truce was in order, and Bunny directed them both to a regular pool of water. Thank goodness the dye wasn't waterproof. As long as it hadn't yet dried, it came easily out of both fur and cloth with a simple dunking in the clear liquid. Although Bunny did resent the fact that Jack could just freeze himself dry.

"Bloody show pony," he muttered as he wrung out damp ears.

Jack chuckled absentmindedly, then resumed a thoughtful expression.

"I can get it, you know." He looked at Bunny with a smile but there was a seriousness in his eyes. "The frost designs. I can do it."

"Hm, well that's only half the challenge, isn't it? You need to be able to incorporate it into my production process. My designs look organic for a reason- I breed plants to make 'em."

"I'll figure that out, too."

Bunny grinned wryly at him but didn't contradict the empty-yet-confident statement.

"Well then, I'd better go topside and get some more painting supplies for next week. Runnin' low on a few of the minerals I need for my plant food, too. Hmm, and could use some more brushes..."

"Don't worry, I can show myself out," Jack smiled casually, "Although… I'd like to practice a little more…"

Bunny looked at him for a moment, his ears straight up, then seemed to make a decision. Nodding, he hopped over to a nook and lifted out a satchel. "See ya at the meetin' tomorrow, then. Stay out of trouble." They shot each other ironic looks.

Jack watched Bunny tap his foot twice and disappear into the ground. _That's STILL so cool._

Frost designs he could practice anytime. He actually had an earlier idea he wanted to try out. Flying back to the original tunnel-filled chamber, he hovered in front of the shell pile, observing the multitude of colors and shapes. Then he looked at a bare section of the wall, absently running a hand over his aching ribs.

Lifting a handful of pieces from the pile, Jack moved over to the rocky surface. He hesitated. Bunny never seemed to appreciate his surprises. But. He just couldn't help the urge to do something to impress the older Guardian. And to make up for past mistakes. So, with a deep breath, Jack lifted the first egg shell…

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Bunny raced through his tunnels in a surprisingly good mood. It was the wee hours and he was feeling pretty tired, but the day had been both fun and productive, he had to admit, despite its rocky start. He found he wasn't unhappy at the thought of seeing the youngest Guardian again as soon as tomorrow. Huh.

His gathering trip had been successful as well, and he had a great deal of raw material to turn into new paints. He'd found some great root veggies, too. He wouldn't need to go "shopping" for a week.

Hopping into the main tunnel-connection chamber, Bunny slowed and rose from four paws to two. He was on autopilot, just planning to walk through to get to the main room where he would stash the supplies and then head to bed. He was almost to the far end of the valley when something glinted in the moonlight out of the corner of his eye, causing him to glance over. The bag of supplies fell from his hand and he gaped.

On the wall not far from the giant pile was a veritable Fabergé egg. Rising twenty feet tall, it was as if someone had constructed a mosaic of dazzling gems into the shape of one of the Easter Guardian's googies, complete with tribal design. Padding over to the display, Bunny gently put a paw to its surface before he realized what it actually _was_.

Shining behind a layer of Jack's permanent ice, neither warm nor cold to the touch, were thousands of pieces of egg shells arranged by color and shape to create the complete picture. It was a stunningly beautiful effect. Bunny's throat felt slightly constricted, and for a moment he was truly humbled by the generosity of the gesture. He couldn't have picked a better way to honor the little fallen Nightmare-victims. He sat down and just admired the artistry by the moonlight.

Long, grey ears picked up a faint sound in the general silence. Breathing, soft and deep. Glancing over at the egg mountain, he was back on his feet in an instant at the sight of the winter child curled up asleep at its base. Treading soundlessly over, Bunny gave a soft snort. Jack clutched his staff in one hand and pieces of shell in the other.

"Crazy kid. Wore yerself out."

He placed a gentle paw on the slender shoulder shaking it slightly. When Jack remained sound asleep, the grey Guardian shook his head in defeat with a half smile, then smoothly lifted the slight frame into his arms.

"Guess you can crash here _one_ night." The affectionate green eyes told the lie in the gruff tone.

Bunny _may_ have chosen the coolest room in his Warren, nestled like a cellar in the earth, for the winter spirit. He _may_ have managed to find a particularly fluffy spare pillow and blanket. He _may_ have left a glass of water by the sleeping boy's side. And he _may_ have ruffled a paw through soft white hair before he left for his own room.

And in the morning when he woke up and his eyes landed on a strange little wooden figure placed right in front of his nose, he _may_ have laughed aloud at the goofy smile obviously recently painted across its face in silver paint. And when he happened to see the little snowflake painted on the bottom of its foot, he _may_ have worn a complicated smile.

But no one was there to call him out on it, so he decided it didn't really matter.

_-ROTG-_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you think?
> 
> In my view, Bunny is kinda grumpy/serious and can be insensitive especially when he is upset when his work is disrupted or his pride is stung, but he's not mean at all. He can also be judgmental and jump to conclusions, but who doesn't do that? On the plus side, he is a deeply caring person by nature (part of what makes him serious), loyal, supportive, optimistic and protective. I love him. :)
> 
> Bunny probably doesn't use a regular pillow/blanket or glasses for water most of the time, but he does have visitors occasionally, so he has them on hand. (OMG, BUNNY IN AN APRON SERVING TEA, IS THERE A PICTURE?!)
> 
> In my headcanon, Jack has had 300 years of PE, basically, so he is supernaturally graceful and coordinated, hence the parkour and staff skill, BUT- he has never been particularly interested in fighting. To me, he seemed to adapt quite well and use his creativity/coordination, but he was definitely a bit out of his element during the battle scenes in the movie. He has a lot of spacial and kinesthetic intelligence, so he can do well in battle without formal training, but it didn't seem to me like he was used to fighting against others. And without either purpose or people (to learn from or physically protect) to drive him, there wasn't much incentive to become some kind of karate master during his immortal life. Unless you create a back story for it, which I haven't (not that there won't be some interesting stuff related to this, but I don't want to give spoilers. ;D).
> 
> I also have headcanon explaining a bit better how Jack could sneak up on Bunny like that, but that'll be explained after some stuffs. *sigh* It has nothing to do with him being a ninja.
> 
> In the next chapter, North will show Jack something special, and Jack will return the favor. :)


	10. New Life: The Jack and North Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to take a break for a couple days before getting started on this chapter. I'd been so focused on just writing, I was forgetting some of the big picture. Needed to review my notes and past chapters. Anyway. 
> 
> Anyone reading this fic for the long run will probably learn way more about weather than they wanted to know. I happened to be inspired by it for story ideas. Here's the first "cool" tidbit, nyuk nyuk…
> 
> According to Wikipedia, "A polar vortex... is a persistent, large-scale cyclone located near one or both of a planet's geographical poles. On Earth, the polar vortices are located in the middle and upper troposphere and the stratosphere. They surround the polar highs and lie in the wake of the polar front. These cold-core low-pressure areas strengthen in the winter and weaken in the summer...The Arctic vortex has two centres, one near Baffin Island and the other over northeast Siberia.[2] In the southern hemisphere, it tends to be located near the edge of the Ross ice shelf near 160 west longitude."
> 
> How cool is that?! This will be more important to the story in the second arc, but it's mentioned here.
> 
> You guys are going to throw up from the fluff in this one. Sigh. Can't help being a sap with this father/son business...
> 
> And you ARE going to see some super-fragile Jack in this one, again. Just a warning.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack had only sat down to rest for a moment. He was looking at a handful of shells and thinking about the next design. He had only closed his eyes to envision what it could be. The next thing the tired elemental knew, he was standing in his hometown woods again with his little sister.

At _least_ he seemed to be able to remember what she looked like _here_. He grinned.

"I was hoping for another dream with you."

Her brown bangs swished as she shook her head. "You got here through a dream, but that's not where we are now."

He wondered why a dream would insist it wasn't what it obviously was. Maybe it was his subconscious _wishing_ it wasn't a dream…

"This _isn't_ a dream! _I'm_ not a dream. It's important for you to understand this!"

"Uh-huh. What's your name?"

Jack really didn't want to waste what precious dreamtime he had with the memory of his sister arguing over a technicality. And if his subconscious could remember what she looked like, maybe it remembered this detail, too.

His sister looked startled at first, then shifted to sorrow and compassion. Jack frowned.

"Joyce."

The frown was replaced with a soft smile.

"That's a beautiful name."

Her eyes shone like honey. " _You_ used to call me Joy."

"I can see why," his smile was warm and tender as he reached out and stroked her hair. "I'm glad I can seem to remember you here, at least."

She leaned into his hand and sighed. "It's seemed like forever, I'm relieved you got here finally. It means things have begun…"

"What things?"

Joyce seemed to be thinking about how to answer that. "Next steps. You have a role you will need to play. They're finally letting you move forward. And you can have another family." Her small face turned ferocious. "I'm glad about that. I was so angry that you had to be… to be _all alone_." The furious look broke and she started crying her heart out.

Operating completely on instinct, Jack picked the girl up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he began rocking her. He didn't mind his shirt getting wet with tears, it felt _so good_ to hold her in his arms again, solid and beloved and real. He began telling her about his recent 'art time' with Bunny. Eventually her sobs quieted into the occasional gentle gasp and then wavering laughter.

"I'm supposed to be helping _you_ ," she murmured into his shoulder. He chuckled.

"And what is it you want to help me with, Joy of mine?"

She looked up and ran her fingers over first his eyebrow, then his cheek bone. Her tender look matched his.

"Your memories. So you can know the truth and be happy again. Real happy, not… not happy-covering-sad. We'll be here with you until all the knots are finally gone."

Jack's eyes were wide and confused. "We?"

Joy's face suddenly matched her name's meaning. "Oh yeah! Mama and Papa want to see you, too!" A shock of adrenalin ran through the boy at the mention of parents. His sister glanced away for a moment.

"Next time, though. I think you need to go back now."

Another kiss on his cheek and the world dissolved.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Flying near the North Pole was easy. The cold felt great, Wind raced along completely unhindered by warmer currents, and Jack was entirely in his element. He could have made a thousand Winter pillars here.

Instead, on his way from the Warren to Santoff Clausen early that morning, he only managed to create one in Hawaii, per Sephi's list. And Pele was NOT happy. The winter elemental could have avoided the slower local spirit easily, if he hadn't frozen momentarily in a mind-wiping, paralyzed panic at her arrival. He was _unspeakably terrified_ of volcanoes. Her heat had singed his lower back before he snapped out of it, which meant Jack had to waste an hour first freezing the wound to avoid further bleeding, and then grabbing another blue hoodie from his supply in Antarctica.

When he had originally found the box of thirty surplus sweatshirts discarded outside a warehouse twenty years before, he had thought he'd be set for life. Now there were only 8 left.

If he hadn't been able to travel instantly from one howling polar vortex to the next, he would never have been able to make it to the North Pole early enough that morning. Landing on the roof of 'Santa's Workshop', Jack smiled to see the pond by North's study once again consisted of solid permanent ice. He hopped onto the small roof above the doorway to North's balcony, and the smile grew wider. The doors were open, and North was singing along to some dramatic Russian music. It would be a shame to interrupt, so the slight youth sat down to listen, careful to lean only his uninjured upper back against the wall. He let his feet dangle over the edge, enjoying the cold air and the swelling sounds.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Nicholas St. North had not been idle that week.

The large man, naturally energetic, was downright antsy waiting for his little _snezhinka_ to show up. After the way he had… had _hurt_ the boy the last time he was at the workshop, North had completed several projects with one goal in mind: make Jack feel welcome and included. Again the yetis had surprised him. Instead of resenting the attention and extra work spent on efforts for the snow trickster, they were direct and supportive, even making some useful recommendations about what Jack would like.

Somehow, North realized, the playful spirit had gotten to even these serious, stoic helpers.

And in the end, the Guardian of Wonder decided that after a week of working with the other Guardians on a _schedule_ , Jack probably needed a day to unwind and just have some free-for-all fun. Especially if he was going to have to sit through another _meeting_ , with whatever serious topic Tooth had said she needed to discuss with them all. The big Cossack was happy to oblige, and was looking forward to sharing his day with the winter child.

Because in the end, he didn't really want Jack to change too much. To reign in the wild, spontaneous nature would be to make him… not Jack. FUN, after all, would always be part surprise and mischief and imagination. And _that_ , North decided with another impatient look toward the windows, was how it should be.

Oh.

Were those feet?

Yes, bare white toes, curling and uncurling, ankles swinging in time to the music.

Wonder be damned, it was _mischief_ those wide eye were filled with now. Trying not to chuckle too loudly in devilish mirth, North swiped a quill from a shelf and tip-toed over to the balcony doorway, turning the music up slightly to provide greater stealth. Biting his bottom lip to keep silent, the bearded Guardian wiggled the end of the feather along the pale soles. The shrill cry of surprise and immediate short burst of laughter as the feet were withdrawn was all he could have hoped for. He finally let loose his own belly laugh.

Azure eyes, turned upward in merriment, appeared where the feet had been dangling moments before. Jack's upside-down joyful face filled North's view.

"Maybe if shoes were used for feet and not for giving little upstart gremlins deludings of grandness, would not have such a problem, da?"

Jack snickered. "And deprive you of such valuable leadership support? Never!"

North could only continue laughing at the boy's cheekiness as Jack swooped down and stood beside him.

Some special happiness filled the Guardian of Fun's chest as he succeeded in making Wonder laugh. This was how he liked the larger Guardian best. Laughing and happy and jolly. No guilt or sorrow or regret.

"How are their highnesses, anyway?"

The Cossack's face turned mock-serious.

"Incorrigible. _Thank_ you very much, Jack. And I think there may be troublings in the ranks," North nodded as if deeply troubled himself, but then threw up his hands with his characteristic grin, "Bah! Politics! Tell me, how goes time with Guardians? Learn much from Sandy and Toothy and Bunny?"

And, as was becoming the standard, Jack was uninhibited in his energy and enthusiasm when describing things to North. The large man's eyes softened at the sheer joy in the winter spirit's tale. Some little piece of sadness worked its way into his heart, however, as he listened to Jack describe normal things like people listening and acknowledging and helping him as if these were stunning and unexpected gifts. As if the wonderfulness of those 'gifts' was a reflection of the giver's amazing nature rather than the interpretation of an attention-starved soul.

"And North," Jack quieted to a hushed tone, "Bunny actually let me stay there. Overnight. _In the Warren._ " Enormous blue eyes seemed to expect North to share in the miracle of this hospitality, this unimagined treat.

The older man sighed internally. Yes, they had a lot of work to do with this child.

"Am not surprised, Bunny is most fond of you, Jack, is just his nature to be stern." The boy laughed, as if on cue, like North was telling a joke.

Hm, maybe time to show the boy even more welcoming gestures, to help him understand.

"And Bunny is not only one! Come, Jack, I show you something." Slapping his thighs, North rose and put a hand to Jack's lower back to gently direct him toward the door into the factory. The slender form immediately stiffened, and North's heart sank as he quickly pulled his hand away. Apparently they had not reached a comfort level with _touch_ , yet. Jack probably disliked it when North's enthusiasm overtook him and he lifted or embraced the boy. Who, as he had learned during their first encounter, was not uncomfortably cold to hold, as he had expected.

The sprite recovered and gave him a nervous smile, then turned toward the door with a hop and a skip. North's fist clenched as he made a promise to show the boy such unrelenting support, he would eventually welcome the closeness the other Guardians wanted to have with their newest member. Taking a deep breathe, eyes determined, North followed Jack into the hallway and gestured to the left.

A quick elevator ride later, and they arrived at a bright green door. "This," North announced, pushing the door open and stepping back so Jack could enter, "Is Bunny's room here at the Pole."

"Wow… "

This must have been the ground floor because instead of wooden planks, dirt and grass covered the bottom of the spacious room. Everything was gold and green, with pastel bursts of detail and tribal designs. There were actual vines and flowers growing on certain surfaces, and plenty of nooks in the walls to hold supplies. A dense mossy patch in the corner served as a comfortable bed.

"No wonder he doesn't mind staying overnight!"

"Bunny is valued colleague, he must be comfortable when visiting my home! Hospitality is very importan- oh ho. Speaking of which." North gave him a very pointed look as they stepped back into the hall.

Jack thought jingle bells and trumpets had never sounded so ominous. Two elf kings and their attendants walked up to the winter spirit who had appointed them. Elves, Jack decided, looked particularly unsightly with their noses in the air and shoes on their heads. Still pretty darn funny, though. Dingle stepped forward with a royally gracious welcome gesture, only to be elbowed out of the way by Hankle who made an even grander gesture to outdo his rival. One of Dingle's attending elves took offense at Hankle's hand in his face and promptly bit it.

One blink later and it seemed like the whole hallway of elves had turned into one giant ball of chaos.

"Uh…"

"You see? Politics of weak-minded." North nodded sagely.

Jack grinned. "Well, when in doubt, freeze an elf!" With one wave of his staff, the ball froze, thirty elves stuck to each other in every way imaginable. There were a lot of tongues.

North raised his eyebrows in approval. "Effective political solution." He moved to pat the winter spirit's shoulder, but stopped himself. Took a deep breath.

"Come! More to show."

Sandy's room was on the top floor. All golden and rosy hues, shelves jammed full of oddities at random heights on the walls, and cushions piled all over the floor. Tooth's room was a small tower with windows and soft-lined ledges at different levels, fountains running from the ceiling to the floor, and a very cozy visiting area at the bottom, so anyone could feel welcome stopping by for a chat.

North was finding this journey quite endearing. Jack was trotting along beside him, taking in in each new thing. He didn't question his host's reason for showing him what he chose to show him. He just went along for the ride, no questions asked, so wrapped up in what he was seeing and experiencing that he didn't even think about a destination or purpose, just the fun (and mischief) of the moment. Very much like a child with a trusted adult.

And so it was with almost unbearable anticipation that North pushed open a pale blue door, just down the hall from his own. He could tell the frost boy had no idea what was coming.

Jack looked around, completely silent, mouth parted slightly. This was the most wonderful room of all. It felt _right_. He sighed without quite knowing why.

The room was round and tall and immediately gave the impression of being spacious and without boundaries, but still cozy. The floor was alternating white and brown wooden tiles. Tall windows in cushioned nooks looked out to the arctic landscape all around. Walls were painted to resemble a pine forest, the trees stretching up and up to the ceiling. And what a ceiling. A perfectly clear dome, made of permanent ice from North's pond, topped off the room, making the sky itself the centerpiece. _That must have taken the entire pond to make..._

"And this," North tentatively placed a hand on the blue-clad shoulder, relaxing in immense relief when there was no flinch or move to push him off, "Is your room, Jack."

He didn't… it wasn't… how… "What?"

Jack's eyes were huge as he looked up into his companion's face. A thrill of shock ran through him as he noticed North, boisterous, confident, crazy Nicholas St. North, wore a _shy_ expression.

"I left forest plain. So _you_ can determine what wonders and mysteries it contains. If you want to add something? Do it! Maybe a fluffy bunny over here, looking grumpy at snow, da? Or Baby Tooth flittering between branches?"

In his best imaginings of showing Jack this room, North had envisioned an excited sprite zooming around and inspecting all the details. He'd see the snowflakes North had carved into the base of the ice dome. The way the tiles were arranged to resemble scattered snow drifts on the ground. The frost patterns embroidered into the window seat cushions, compliments of the yetis. The bookcase of adventure stories and games. The furniture made of permanent ice that North had carved almost a week ago. The small painting on the bedside table of all five Guardians together. And the way North had left enough things for Jack himself to determine. To define what or who was important to him, and let those thing into his space at his own timing.

North had been looking forward to it.

He was completely unprepared when the slight figure next to him didn't take off and dart around the room. The winter child lowered himself into a crouch, arms around his legs, face buried.

North's stunned face and darting eyes would have been funny in another situation. This one, though, felt fragile and painful.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

It had been involuntary. Something twisted so deeply inside him, it curled his whole body around it.

It had finally clicked. North, surprisingly subtle, had shown Jack what he did for each of the _other_ Guardians. And now, for _him_. He was one of them. The older wintertime Guardian, often acting as their leader, was telling him plain as day. _You belong. You're one of us. We want you. Here is your place._

A week ago, he had betrayed them and been justly turned away. Then he'd taken an oath in front of everyone, genuinely confident. Then, in a dark room he had made a discovery and before the Moon himself, he made a promise and a plea. He had finally come to understand his situation. And to hope. That _someday_ he might belong to their family.

And now… now he was being given a _home_. What was that, even? Something inside him hurt. _Ached_.

It wasn't… it wasn't right. He didn't deserve it yet. He hadn't helped _anyone_ yet.

But this beautiful place, made just for him, and this amazing mentor who embraced him without reserve… he _wanted_ it. Desperately.

But, he couldn't. Not yet. Not yet. Not y-

His internal rambling quieted as he felt a very large, impossibly gentle hand rub small circles above his shoulder blades, slowly loosening wiry muscles. As the other hand brushed through his wild locks, he found himself leaning into the touch, so unfamiliar. Rising only slightly, he leaned over and buried his face into North's massive shoulder, realizing his cheeks were, in fact, damp.

One large arm crossed the teen's shoulders, the other nestled in the snowy hair, as the largest Guardian held their youngest close to his chest.

"Just…" A swallow and a whisper. "Just for a minute."

North replied nothing, simply held the boy.

And it really was only a minute. In fact, Jack counted each second, heartbeat by heartbeat, to make sure he didn't go over the self-imposed time limit. This was… just a free sample, no one would judge him for that, right? _Just to, to make sure I remember what I'm working toward._

Because, he could see that North and the others were kind. They would go easy on him if he let them. But he couldn't. That wouldn't be right. He had to _earn_ it. Or maybe, it would all slip away again.

As Jack pushed away, North resisted for only a moment. Scrubbing a blue sleeve over his eyes, Jack missed the larger man swiping dampness from his own.

"It's perfect, you know." It was the most honestly grateful smile North, master giver of gifts, had ever seen, albeit a bit wobbly.

"I look forward to using it." _Someday._

North squeezed his shoulder, already missing the proximity.

"Anytime and always."

Jack rubbed his blue eyes once more. "Don't… don't tell the others. OK?"

North pretended to look clueless. "'Bout what?" Ah, he couldn't help it. The kid was too cute. He ruffled his hand once more through Jack's hair before standing.

Jack took a deep breath and popped up beside him. "I'm trying to help them," He cleared his throat, "I haven't- I'm not very good yet at any of it yet, but getting better!"

"Tell me."

And Jack explained about frost animals and dreamsand, about ideas he wanted to share with Tooth next week, and about ice and Easter eggs.

"Is very good idea, this team promotion of _all_ Guardians," North agreed.

"And I'd like- do you think it's a good idea, I mean, you make so many toys, um…" Although he had started off confident, the idea of telling _Santa_ how to do his job was daunting.

North grinned. Really, too cute.

"Yes! New ideas for Guardian toys, this would be most welcome! Maybe a Tooth Fairy doll?"

"Easter Bunny action figure! Dreamsand Pictionary!"

"Jack Frost snowball launcher!"

The winter spirit paused at North's suggestion. "Do you really think kids would _want_ that, though?"

"No doubt." Fists planted on hips. "And I need someone who knows children..." _Is a child,_ "...to help design and test all new ideas!"

"Yeah!" Jack jumped into the air, his old energy back. "Let's do it!"

"Da, but Christmas is months in making. I have better idea for _today_. Let us do something NOW to spread wonder and joy and belief! Celebrate start of new possibilities. The Jack and North way! Enough with being inside! We are GUARDIANS! Must be out there, making the children happy!"

North marched out of the room and turned to look back at his companion. With one final glance of longing at the room, the wind-borne youth flew to the door to follow his guide.

"We are taking sleigh!"

Jack's cry of delight followed him down the hallway.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

North did not do things by half. Being "out there" apparently meant traveling the whole globe in a whirlwind race to spread Wonder and Fun, distributing icy Guardian sculptures to young people around the world. Since North was widely believed in and therefore visible to many, they started in Russia, where night, instead of morning, had just begun. Finding out that Jack could make a pretty decent ice figure in a matter of seconds drove the sleigh driver to push for matching speed in delivery.

But the winter elemental actually told North to slow down.

"Slow down? Why you want to be slowpoke?"

"Just… trust me on this."

Peering over the edge of the sleigh, Jack pointed. "Over there. Put us down."

Curiosity peaked, North followed the instruction and landed in a field by a small Siberian town. He followed the spry boy as he hopped out of the sleigh and trotted down the quiet main street. Neither winter dweller was bothered by the frigid night. Jack hopped on a thin fence North knew better than to try, and peered in a window of the house beyond.

"Yep, this is the one." Turning to smile enigmatically at North, he simply instructed, "Watch."

The snow bringer flew up to the window and concentrated for a moment, creating a mini ice replica of Santa Claus. He placed it on the ledge right in front of one of the smaller panes of glass that made up the whole window. Then he frosted the rest of the glass over, until the only clear spot was the block with the sculpture. As a final step, he rapped his knuckles against the frost and darted back over to North, peering over the fence.

"We could have done whole street by now!"

Jack gave him a stern look and shushed him, surprising the older Guardian. "Quantity isn't always the most important thing. Look."

The window slowly opened to reveal a scared-looking, tear-stained face. That expression rapidly turned to one of pure Wonder as small hands lifted the frosty figurine, taking in all the details. Tears stopped and a watery smile appeared.

"Spasibo, Санта." _Thank you, Santa,_ the little girl whispered to the night. Belief that someone out there was protecting her gave her peace, despite whatever worrisome burden her small heart was carrying.

"Dobro pozhalovat," North couldn't help whispering back. _You're welcome._ The child smiled as she shut her window again, blocking out the very cold air but keeping in the warm feeling filling her chest.

Jack's quick pat on the shoulder broke North from his staring, and he bounded up on the rooftops, following the wispy sprite as he flew into the air, scanning the area. "Ah-hah!" And Jack drifted over to a house with a small backyard. With another small child, bundled up in a coat but obviously still cold, dragging a stick through the snow on the ground, a morose look on his young face. Jack spoke quietly to North, who was sitting on the roof.

"I'll bet this kid could use a little belated Easter Hope…" And with a wave of his staff, plop plop plop! Several small objects fell into the foot-deep snow, leaving round holes.

The Russian boy stared. Crept up to one of the holes, poked at it with a stick. Slowly reached inside and pulled out… an Easter egg. It may have been ice, but with the shape and the etched patterns, it was still clear exactly what it was.

Morose morphed into merry as the boy hopped from one hole to the next, lifting out frozen eggs, and then plop! Jack would create another behind him. Giggling and chasing each new appearance, cheeks grew rosy and eyes grew drowsy, until the little boy stood with an armful of googies, content and yawning and smiling at the sky as if he _knew_ something was out there. He walked up to his back door and went inside. A few moments later, he entered his bedroom, opened his window and lovingly placed all the eggs on the outer ledge to make sure they wouldn't melt, then closing the window once done. He sat on the window seat and pulled out a well worn journal, beginning an entry with, _I am actually_ not _alone tonight. The Easter Bunny himself played with me! He gave me beautiful ice eggs, which suit this place..._

North studied Jack's face for a moment as the winter spirit watch the young human. The large Guardian marveled at how very kind the pale face was, eyes so gently happy for another. Kind and… wistful.

With a sigh the frost youth hopped onto the weather vane of the house with a single graceful move. He glanced quickly around and seemed to hone in on something three streets away. His brow scrunched up. "Uh-oh." Wasting no time, he flew swiftly to the area, with a leaping North landing beside him soon after.

Another young girl, about 6 years old, was sobbing uncontrollably into her mother's side as they stood on their porch. The mother was rubbing her daughter's back soothingly and looking around with concern, calling, "Kiska, kiska! Kitti, Kitti!" It was clear to both Guardians why the girl was so upset. No pet cat would survive the night in this cold, unprotected.

"Look over there! I'll be right back." Jack whispered, pointing. Somehow the winter spirit had spotted little paw prints much further down the block. A quick flight there and back and Jack nodded.

A particularly cold breeze caused the girl to look up and her eyes immediately landed on a little tooth fairy icicle hanging from the porch railing. The fairy figure pointed out to the sidewalk. On the fence surrounding the front yard was another fairy, pointing down the street. Mouth dropping open the child darted from her mother's side and ran, following one frost fairy after another, all the way down the street with her mother calling and running after her. Until she came to a brick wall with a bush growing beside it. A bush that began to mew.

A grateful mother carrying an overjoyed daughter carrying a small cat that would survive the night made their way back home.

"And that, big guy, is a kid who will believe in the tooth fairy forever."

And North _did_ understand what the frost child was trying to teach him. Gifts and tokens to every home were all very important and spread great happiness. But personal gestures, designed to make the lonely and sick at heart feel _uniquely_ protected and cared for, were life changing. A memory and belief the child would keep always.

North looked down at a peaceful-looking Jack, leaning on his staff, and gave him an approving, knowing smile .

"You are very good teacher, Jack. And very good Guardian. Three worlds you have changed for better already this night."

The Cossack took a deep breath of the crisp air, feeling young and full of Wonder himself. How was it that an eternal child neglected so long had grown to such depths of compassion, rather than bitterness? It truly was a Wonder.

North glanced up at Manny. They did not deserve this boy. But now that they had him, they were keeping him. Close.

His eyes made the Moon a promise, and the Moon smiled back.

The red-clad man noticed the blue hood had come up, but this time it was a shy gesture, hiding a face that was trying to remain confident even as he was clearly unsure of how to handle praise. A laugh bubbled out of the Guardian of Wonder. "Let us spread this Jack Frost special magic! There are many children such as these, da?"

A hooded nod with sparkling eyes and they were off to continue their special field trip.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

In a realm of mists and veiled gates, a particularly hideous figure slunk through the waters of a particularly hushed and isolated corner. A black-shrouded wall, unusually solid in this eternally wavering world, blocked the creature's progress.

The shinigami knew he could push through to the other side and collect his prize.

He also knew it would not go unnoticed.

Which was why he clutched a handful of souls, draped around his shoulders like a cloak. While the theft he was about to commit would be known almost immediately to his Master, the incorporeal beings he wore should mask his involvement. All he needed was enough time to make the delivery with no one the wiser, and he would be home free.

And then… mmmm. He wriggled in anticipation at the thought of a future feast of fear.

No wall or immortal would stand in his way, he resolved. An instant later, he was gone, beyond the barrier.

A day later, he would be gone for good.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snezhinka is Russian for snowflake. Um, it sounds really hard to pronounce on Google translate…
> 
> The cat's name is Snowflake, too, cuz I said so. :)
> 
> Wow, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with this chapter, but I unexpectedly love it! I feel like these characters are just pulling me along for the ride. I realize it may be a bit boring to read, however. :/ I don't know why I always feel that way. 
> 
> I'm hoping the next few chapters don't annoy/frustrate you. They will round out the first third of the first arc. Some of the key plot elements have begun, and now those and the relationships will continue to develop. We'll be getting into what I think of as the middle part of this first arc, and I honestly have no idea how much I'm going to try to stuff in there. Then, the third and last portion of the arc when everything will blow up in their faces. :D
> 
> Haha, I just realized, Jack was happy to find the 30 sweatshirts because it meant he didn't have to go "shopping" again for a long time.


	11. New Life: Connected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This freaking chapter was so hard to write! (I will say this about every chapter) Why are transition/exposition chapters such a pain?! And I don't even like how it turned out! *cough* Sorry, rant over. Ahem.
> 
> Awww, all our Guardian's are back together! Yay! Actually, it may be a pretty rocky ride, as the Big Four start to see things through Jack's eyes… They're in for an emotional beating. Like, with a mace or something.
> 
> This will be at least two chapters, probably three. Or four. What a long meeting!
> 
> I think this one has a bit of a slow start, setting the stage. Hmmmmm… it's kind of juxtaposition for all the junk that is coming in the next chapters. Contrasting how the Guardians are now becoming (Fluff) before throwing you into some recent angsty past that puts it in context.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

In real life, there are no precise lines and labels outlining the boundaries of the many countries that divide up the Earth into its various governments and cultures. Still, Jack had always had a keen interest in people and the events shaping the human world. He knew his country geography, even though it had changed frequently and drastically in the past 300 years.

So he could tell it was just as they were flying over the border between Russia and China, squeezed between Kazakhstan and Mongolia, that they saw the first tendrils of glowing dreamsand flowing their way. Knowing that Sandy directed his sand to huge swatches of the planet on a continuous basis, the two winter Guardians had no way of knowing if Sandy was actually very nearby until they saw his hovering cloud on the horizon.

Urging the reindeer to even faster speeds, North pulled the sleigh up to the Sandman in record time, shouting a cheerful greeting as Sandy gave them a delighted grin. He wasn't used to visitors, but was finding it a very welcome thing.

"Hello my friend! All ready for big meeting tonight?" At Sandy's thumbs up, North continued, "Join us, then! We are having the Frosty Funtimes and spreading joy to children needing it most. Our Jack understands many important things, very grand teacher."

The 'very grand teacher' in question was hovering just outside the sleigh, cheeks pink and still recovering from the way North had called him "our Jack," so it took him a moment to respond to Sandy's humorously inquiring look.

"Um. We're playing." He floated closer to the dream cloud, eyes merry.

Well, that was good enough for Sandy.

By the time they left China and headed into India, the dream maker knew exactly what North had been talking about. Sandy couldn't remember when he had had a better time. Seeing sad, worried, scared, angry or grieving children that he had formerly been unable to reach finally receive some relief and comfort was a tremendously fulfilling 'lesson'.

And Jack made it his special mission, once Sandy joined them, to reach a helping hand out to the animals in need, as well. Whether it was ice cubes to play with for downtrodden and thirsty dogs or using a chill wind to direct an alley cat to a lonely human happy to procure some fish in exchange for furry companionship, each encounter was rewarding in its own way. Jack laughed as Sandy seemed to immerse himself in the interactions with each creature, intrigued, surprised and enthralled by their unique personalities and behaviors.

The many mini tooth fairies they encountered must have informed their mistress of the group activities, because she flew up ready to join in the fun as they were leaving the first Indian village. Baby Tooth, of course, was her attendant, but the little one left her post almost immediately to nest right in the middle of Jack's hair, her face the only thing peeking out of the snowy strands.

Tooth sighed at her subordinate's behavior with an indulgent smile and gave Jack a fond squeeze around the shoulders before flying over to speak with North in a hushed tone.

"This was a great idea, North. A little fresh air activity and quality team time before the meeting is just the thing! I don't know about Jack, but I certainly need to work off some nerves."

"Toothy what is big news?"

"I'll explain it all later. I've brought what I need," She held up a pouch before tossing it into the sleigh, "But for now, let's have some Fun."

Sandy had noticed Jack looking around, obviously very alert. As Tooth and North moved closer to the pair, they saw Sandy sign a figure looking through a spyglass and a question mark. Jack simply gave a casual smile.

"Well, April _is_ summer here in India. And believe it or not, I don't intentionally try to get on the bad side of other seasonal spirits…" As Sandy raised an eyebrow and made an image of Bunny, Jack chuckled, "Okay, most of the time. As long as I don't start a blizzard, it should be fine."

Tooth's smile was only slightly wicked as she exclaimed, "It's been too hot around here, anyway! If they have a problem with it, I've got your back. Now let's go have a great night out!"

Jack bounced on his feet, thrilled at Tooth's wild enthusiasm and they took to the air twirling and bobbing in the wind as the sleigh rose to follow close behind.

When the children of India would wake up the next morning, there would be an all around sense of gratitude for the cool breezes that had allowed for better rest in the hot night. Orphans who had found something beautiful made of ice as they wandered the street or stumbled upon a !frozen! fruit would sometimes burst out in song right there, thanking whatever spirit had blessed them. And if there were any minions of Summer, they didn't interfere.

By the time the sleigh full of Guardians reached Sri Lanka, they were all giggling and telling terrible jokes. Sandy was surprisingly good at visual puns.

Jack was quiet for a moment before he voiced an idea. "Hey, it's going to be evening at the Pole in a couple of hours, let's go see if Bunny wants to join us for awhile, too. Then we can just all head back together."

The others looked at the winter spirit with some surprise. _Jack_ wanted to hang out with _Bunny_? But North just smiled at the mystery and shook a snow globe.

"Australia!"

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

Walking up to the "door" of the Warren and asking if Bunny wanted to play was far too mild an approach for Jack Frost. Especially if there was a more fun way to get the Pooka's attention. And so, as they began flying from location to location helping the children in need, Jack waved his staff and created small, temporary snow clouds over each Warren entry that came into sight.

"Bunny is going to have hissing fit," North warned, but his grin was of a co-conspirator rather than a deterring authority. He innocently tossed a few Christmas ornaments in each access point as they passed.

Tooth and Sandy shared a commiserating look as they put up with another round of North's (and now Jack's) goofy rivalry with Bunny. They were expecting more yelling than "hissing."

And it certainly didn't take long to get a reaction.

The town they had currently landed in had recently suffered an economic downturn. There was an unusually large number of children awake and anxious, who would be leaving their friends and homes for other cities within the week. Jack had a "brilliant idea" (according to North), and they watched as he began forming a 15 foot effigy of Bunny. With some creative detailing.

The other Guardians were laughing and giving suggestions.

"More flowers!"

"Ooo! Give him some feathers around the ears!"

A sand picture of a large bow tie.

Jack had just landed to give the ice statue some footwear when he gave a yelp as he was yanked up by the back of his hoodie and brought nose-to-nose with an irritated Pooka. A Pooka who had popped up with his back to the sculpture and obviously hadn't seen it yet. _Ohhhh, this'll be fuuun..._

"Bunny!" Coy grin. Baby Tooth's face popped out of his hair with the same expression. "I see you got our invitation."

"Haha, real funny, what did I say about Winter in the Warren?! And you!" Bunnymund thrust the hand holding Jack aloft toward the others, shaking the boy in their direction. "I can't believe you're encouraging this irresponsible behavior, snowing out a Spring sanctuary!"

Tooth and Sandy's eyes had gone huge.

"Bunny, why so upset?" North grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "We are simply spreading joy, and everyone knows that comes best with snow and certain most-popular holiday!" He dangling an ornament from his fingers.

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "What'd'ya mean 'spreading joy'? It's the wee hours of the bloody morning here…"

The furry warrior trailed off as he saw Tooth and Sandy's eyes dart from him to something large _behind_ him. North's smile was _way_ too smug. And as he glanced at the winter spirit he was still holding, the pale face had a look that was _far_ too innocent. In one smooth move he changed his grip from Jack's hoodie to around his torso so he was easier to keep hold of, and turned to face what the others were looking at.

Eyes landing on the mammoth and ridiculous version of himself, Bunny didn't notice his captive go still and silent, breath arrested. The others, watching for the Pooka's reaction from behind, couldn't see the face pale further, eyes scrunch closed and jaw clench. And when Bunny dropped him, everyone was looking at the ice figure, rather than Jack as he crumpled to the ground, barely holding himself up with his arms. Baby Tooth chirped and flew in front of his face, concerned, but Jack managed to inhale finally and gave her a weak but reassuring smile.

Bunny meanwhile whirled back around to the other Guardians with an incredulous look on this face.

They all quickly pointed at each other, trying to indicate the blame lay elsewhere. Bunny, however, knew who the real culprits were.

"Tha's it, no more Jack and North Time!"

"Oh Bunny," The Pooka glared down at the winter spirit who was smirking over his shoulder and using a familiar Aussie accent as he adaptively quoted Bunny's line from the day before, "I was so inspired by you, I just had to make this special statue to show you how I see ya! Note the figure's jagged fur, the flowery apparel, the tasteful feathers upon your head!"

Bunny gaped.

Then he completely shocked North, Tooth and Sandy by falling with abandon into laughter.

Jack just grinned knowingly and gave Bunny's ear a friendly tweak as he flew past and put his hand on the statue, morphing it into a more usual Easter Bunny shape, complete with a nurturing expression towards the googies that were scattered around its feet.

"I'll go get the kids." He winked and took off down one of the streets connecting to the open square.

"Kids?" Bunny finished chuckling.

"You will see." North had that superior expression that drove Bunny up the wall. The Pooka rolled his eyes as the largest Guardian continued. "While Jack is gone, I have secret surprise to share…"

The other Guardians huddled closer as he explained one of the projects he had completed that week. There were nods of approval and appreciation.

"Oh North, I'm so glad you prepared that, I think this meeting is going to be difficult for Jack. I figured out what's going on with the memory thing, and we need to talk about how we're going to handle it. We really need to be… supportive, because I know it's not going to be easy for him."

As Bunny opened his mouth with a demanding expression, Tooth held up a hand.

"We _will_ talk about it. Together. _With_ Jack." They all knew better than to press when she had that stern expression.

Bunny huffed and ran a paw over his ears. Then he shot North a look of begrudging approval. "Regardless, spot on getting that ready, mate. He's one a' us, an' that's all there is to it."

The large man gave the Pooka a conciliatory smile and put his hand on the furry shoulder. "And how is Warren? I am done with immediate projects, have some free hands to help with clean up. And yetis."

"Naw, Jack an' I can handle it, thanks mate. Still, it's a good thing we had the Spring Summit 'fore Easter this year…"

Bunny was cut off as no fewer than twenty children slid, ran and sledded around the corner and came to a stop in front of the Guardians and the statue.

And then it was all about the kids, who were wildly excited to see their heroes. They were all pretty thrilled to learn more about Jack Frost, too, who made it snow and started his signature snowball fight. An hour later, each child had a hug from a Guardian, an ice Easter Egg ("I knew the Easter Bunny was an Aussie!") and a mind full of magical memories with their town friends to take with them. Wherever they ended up going in the long run.

North and Sandy exchanged looks as Jack flew over and rested his forearm on Bunny's shoulder, talking amicably with the Pooka who made no move to dislodge the winter spirit.

"Maybe we should make this part of Operation Exceptional Easter, too! Or if you don't want to bother, maybe the March Hare can fill in for your celebrity appearances…" The pale face was smiling ear to ear and the blue eyes twinkled.

Bunny responded with a mock-glare and flicked one of his long ears so it slapped Jack upside the head. Which just made the boy laugh.

_Very interesting_ , North thought as he stepped into the sleigh and announced they were leaving for the Pole. When Bunny made no protest or alternative tunnel plans, but continued the light-hearted bantering with the snow child as he climbed in, North's brows climbed higher still. _Veeeery interesting indeed_.

And when they did take off and Bunny seemed to finally get a little nervous about the height, Jack was quick to take his mind of the discomfort in his typical style.

"Y'know Bunny, North showed me your room at the Pole. It was _really_ nice." Jack exaggerated his tone, seeming to insinuate that something was amiss.

"North, ya drongo, what'd ya do that for?! Alright, Frosty, what'd ya do? Ya know I'll be able to smell a prank a mile away…"

"Prank?" Perfect innocence, pretended affront.

"Tha's it, I'm doin' a full sweep when we get there. What'd ya do, bury something in the ground to go off when I step on it? Rearrange my spare paints? Put crawlers in tha' grass? Freeze tha' moss bed? Wha- what're ya doin'?"

Jack had been miming writing, looking very diligent. He affected surprise at Bunny's question, then gestured with his invisible pencil and a nod of his head. "Go on. I'm taking notes."

At this Tooth _lost_ it, collapsing to the floor of the sleigh, laughing almost without pausing for breath. Sandy joined in the teasing with Jack and began furiously making (completely random) sand images as Jack nodded enthusiastically like he could understand them with comments like, "Oh yeah, that'd be hilarious. Good one, Sandman!"

"North, let me offa this bloody thing before I strangle the kid!"

"Hahaha, Bunny you are only creating own problem! Don't be so _nervous_!"

And then he promptly took the sleigh for a nose dive.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

Jack was feeling queasy, and it had nothing to do with North's (intentionally, he suspected) reckless flying toward the end. Nor did it have to do with the amazing food in front of him. It was because Tooth had cleared her throat in preparation for a discussion that the winter spirit had been secretly nervous about for days.

She waited until they had all eaten their fill. This wasn't a topic for casual dinner conversation. Tooth had spent most of the meal watching the still playful interactions of the others and running the steps of the spell she would need to perform over in her head. Watching the others had been entertaining, as every moment with Jack was turning out to be. The fairy laughed softly to herself as she watch the dynamics between the males.

Their newest member was both a shifting ally of and buffer between North and Bunny, the tipping factor between their rivalry, to the point where they were trying harder to get Jack to side with them than to actually outdo the other. At they same time, they were subtly more considerate to each other with the pale boy and his consistent playfulness in the mix.

And Sandy had found an attentive accomplice in the winter spirit. Jack not only actively included the golden Guardian throughout the discussion, they bounced off each other's 'conversation' to keep the others in check… and entertained. Tooth didn't think anyone had ever really appreciated quite how spectacular Sandman's sense of humor was, until Jack had given him the space to show it and intuitively interpreted it.

All of these things just firmed her resolve to bring them together to help their youngest.

"North, that was delicious as usual, compliments to the chefs" she raised her glass to the attending yetis who gave dignified nods in return as they finished clearing the dishes away, "I'd like to explain what I learned this week, now. The sooner we get started the sooner we overcome the challenge. Is that alright, Jack?"

The winter spirit sat up straighter, determined not to shrink away when all eyes fell on him. He gave a curt nod.

And so Tooth repeated the story she had told Jack earlier, explaining what she knew- and didn't- about the veil, thanks to Manny's help and her own research. She could see the faces darkening around the table, and knew she would not need to point out the gravity of the situation. They seemed to be taking it far worse than Jack had.

"Hold on, hold on." Bunny leaned forward, scowling. "Why would some super powerful spirit target Jack Frost? What kinda scummy maggot woulda gone through all that trouble to hurt a nipper just new ta his powers? An' what does tha' mean 'xactly, for takin' tha' blighter down?"

Tooth rubbed the heal of her palm against her forehead in frustration. "I don't know. Believe me, I wish I did." Her narrow-eyed grimace matched Bunny's anger at the unknown culprit. Jack, not liking the level of negative emotions swirling up, reached over and patted Tooth's arm in reassurance. This attempt to smooth over the situation just seemed to agitate the Pooka further.

"Well, why didn't tha' Man in the Moon tell ya this oh-so-crucial detail?"

North, catching the anxious look on the winter child's face, put aside his own furious internal monologue to try to lower the tension a few notches. "Maybe he does not know, Bunnymund."

"Naw, mate. He knows all tha' details 'cept who did it? Right."

"Don't blame the Moon."

They all stared at Jack as he finally spoke up. Nervously running his fingers over the textured surface of his staff, he continued. "If it weren't for him we wouldn't have gotten this far. What's important now is that I can finally do something about it." His eyes were clear and direct.

"Knowing your enemy is pretty damn important too, kid. I mean, looka' what happened when we took our eyes offa' Pitch."

"Well who says it even _is_ an enemy?"

Once again Jack found himself being openly stared at. Sandy put a supportive little hand on the boy's shoulder, questioning, as North broke the silence, tone slightly gentler than Bunny's.

"Jack, what else would be reason?"

"There _could_ be… other… reasons… I just don't think we should assume anything. Look, we know what to do to take care of it, so why don't we just get on with it?" He sent a slightly desperate look at the Tooth Fairy, who was currently trying to figure out how to salvage the derailed discussion.

Bunny shook his head in extreme frustration. It seriously ticked him off that Jack had gone unprotected for so long and that some big bully was even now getting away with picking on him. That was _not_ the way it was supposed to be. He couldn't even begin to process the fact that this... _devastation_ had gone on for centuries. And he, Guardian of Hope, had been oblivious, probably even exacerbated the problem with his dismissive approach to the winter youth over the years. Roiling anger was all that was holding guilt and remorse back at this point. No, he _needed_ to take someone down for this. To make it right. So it was to be expected that this aggression seeped through as he snapped at Tooth.

"Look into it. Priority, sheila."

Tooth leveled a withering glare at the Pooka. _No one_ commanded Toothiana. No words were necessary when the warrior queen gave you that look.

"...Please."

The fairy monarch raised a disdainful eyebrow.

"Do you really think I would have just overlooked something like that? I've spent _days_ \- the barely discernible aura signature just seems to connect to everything and nothing specific at the same time!"

"So, what, the veil just spontaneously manifested? Nature just POOFED it inta' existence?"

"Aster! Toothy is NOT enemy here. We are ALL upset with this. Does no good to-"

"Well, why are ya ACTING like it's no big deal? Going along with it when the kid just wants ta brush it off?"

Jack had pressed himself further and further back into his chair as the volume escalated. The anxious feeling he had had at the beginning of the conversation grew to be overwhelming as the others grew angry and fought because of his _stupid_ problem, which should _not_ happen. The full realization was beginning to sink in that he was going to have these people _in his head_ and he had no idea how they would react, and it could be very, very bad. But he _had_ to do it...

It was a testament to how distressed he was, that he couldn't think of a single joke or fun way to expel the negativity in the room. When an involuntary whisper escaped, "Please, please, don't fight," he really didn't expect anyone to hear him.

But somehow, probably _because_ of the contrast in volume, they all did. And he once again found himself facing stares and silence as he slapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide. They must have seen some of the panic he was feeling in his face, because each of them backed down slowly, looking chagrinned, and took their seats again.

Tooth took a deep breath. "I will continue looking," conciliatory glance at Bunny, "But the good news is just as Jack mentioned." Encouraging smile to the tense winter boy. "We know how to get rid of it."

Jack concentrated on getting his heart rate and queasiness under control as the other Guardians listened with laser-like focus to Tooth's explanation of the method that would, hopefully, remove the curse fully over time. She had a few new details toward the end.

"Now, this kind of live binding is a lot more difficult and potentially dangerous than sharing memories via teeth. Teeth really are _amazing_ , they're a stable and safe way of preserving and sharing memories with clarity. This method, where memories are shifted from one mind to another, is less predictable and might be more invasive, but I've done everything I know how to keep Jack in control of what he chooses to make available.

"Creating the bond between Jack and whoever on the team wants to participate will open an avenue of inquiry. What _should_ happen is that when one of us has a clear, focused question regarding something he remembers, Jack will be aware of it and choose to either let it naturally flow through to all of us, or pull back from sharing it. Because this bond is not impacted by distance, the exchange can happen even when we're not together.

"That's all I really know right now without actually testing it, but I would recommend we stick to memories we have in common with Jack, rather than ones we have no connection to at all, until we really get a feel for this.

"Any questions?"

"When do we start?" Bunny and North startled each other by speaking the same question at the same time.

Sandy, however, had seen how exhausting this whole conversation had been for Jack. The topic seemed to drain his usual confidence. The Sandman patted the boy's hand with a question mark over his head. The winter spirit gave him a half smile.

"Yeah, I want to get this thing off as quickly as possible. And I trust you guys more than anyone, so…" He shrugged.

The Guardian of Dreams gave him a reassuring smile and wrapped a small golden arm around Jack's neck. Bunny finally responded to the youth's nervousness as well, and spoke with a slightly softer tone than he had used up to that point.

"Sandy's right, Frost, we'll take care of ya. Ya mess with one of us, ya mess with us all."

"Da, we are making sure Jack Frost is not forgotten any longer!"

Jack's smile finally reached his eyes and he didn't look quite so pale. In fact his cheeks were a bit pinker than usual.

Tooth, infinitely relieved that they were finally in a positive place again, laughed softly. "Well, I was going to ask who would be willing to participate, but I guess I have my answer already. Now, we just need a clear place to set up…"

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

"This won't hurt, but it will feel a bit strange. We're not used to anything touching our minds, but it's not much different than connecting with dreamsand. Just try not to fight it."

Tooth was hovering facing Jack, who stood about 8 feet from her. An equal distance behind her, the other three Guardians fanned out in a semi-circle. Resting on the ground beneath the fairy was a crystal ball filled with strange swirling mists and lights. In her hands, she held a very large ruby.

Looking into the ice blue eyes, Toothiana could see fear and anxiety, but more than anything, determination. At the boy's nod, she inhaled deeply and held the ruby above her head, concentrating. The contents of the crystal ball began swirling more rapidly, and the large red gem started to glow. When it got to laser brightness, and the Guardians had to close their eyes against the light, it sent out a pulse that hit them all at the same time.

In her mind, Tooth was aware of the presence of Sandy, Bunny and North, and she could tell they were aware of her and each other. It wasn't visual, it was a connection even deeper than that. Just as she was beginning to wonder about Jack, there was a sense of something slowly peeling back and suddenly he was there and it was like something light and bright and unknown filled the mental space between them all.

Knowing she had only a moment before the veil snapped back into place, she reached out to Jack and felt a bond of trust instantly form. Tooth reached for her other companions and offered the bond to each of them. There was no hesitation in their acceptance.

The Guardian of Memories felt it the instant the veil slammed closed again. In fact, she was sure they all felt the backlash as they jolted into awareness of their physical selves again. She suddenly realized that she was laying on the wooden floor- crumpling her wings!- and in the second before she could move again, she knew she had been successful. Because there was a bond, strong and present, that felt like clear light and crisp breezes and laughter in the back of her mind.

"Tooth! Guys!" She heard, then felt a cool hand on her face and an arm of support around her shoulders. She was grinning even before she opened her eyes.

"Yesss! First try! I totally wasn't expecting that!" As Jack helped her up, she pumped a fist in the air and grinned at her companions. Who were giving her incredulous looks as they raised themselves on elbows and stumbled to standing positions.

"Wha- ya weren't expecting-?!"

But Tooth cut Bunny off. "Let's try it out!" She had grabbed Jack by the shoulders, but at his freaked out expression she tried to calm down. It was hard, because this was the coolest, most innovative and exciting thing she had done in _centuries_.

"Um. I mean, let's start with something really simple. Something recent. Is that okay, Jack?"

Jack had relaxed slightly and his eyes were laughing at her. "Sure, Tooth, I trust you."

"Aww…" she placed a hand on his cheek. "Okay, are you guys ready?" She glanced to the others and they all braced themselves and nodded.

"Alright, Jack. What was it like when you first met me?"

Jack stiffened for a moment and the pupils of his eyes shrank until they were almost non-existent. And then everyone's vision went white as they felt something rush over them. Seconds later it cleared and they were looking at the inside of a sack, just as it was opening to reveal a couple of elf faces. Tooth could sense the disorientation of North, Sandy and Bunny, but she was suddenly too excited to pay it much attention, because she had an even better idea.

"Wait wait! I forgot that's how he got here! I want to see Bunny capture him! I bet that was hilarious!"

The world lurched and there was Jack, standing on electrical wires, startled as something dark raced by before he moved to follow it.

"Haha! No, wait, go back further, I want to see him play with Jamie, when he lost his tooth." The world began to spin again and before it had shifted, Tooth was already asking another question. "Ah, what do you think he was doing before that?"

"TOOTH!" Her companions cried. With each new request, their world had shifted and lurched worse than North's craziest driving. They were completely disoriented and somehow, even with only their minds present, they were getting nauseated.

"Oops, sorry. I guess I'm more used to this kind of thing," her mental voice was contrite.

She could sense a message of reassurance from Sandy, who unsurprisingly recovered quickest, and she sent an impression of a smile back.

Their memory world resolved and they were… in Moscow?!

"Way ta go, Tooth, ya yanked us way too far back. I don't wanna spend all bloody day in Frost's convoluted memor-"

And suddenly they _felt_.

* * *

**_-ROTG-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, I did not mean to make the sleigh ride thing so long. I was just going to give a summary of the trip and launch into the meeting, but… but… *points* that happened.
> 
> April really is the middle of summer in India. Their seasons are quite different.
> 
> I believe Australia has had good economic growth and stability over the past years, even during the recession, given their natural resources and demand from China. So the town they visited was not a common example. See how much you're learning from this fic?!
> 
> For those of you who have read the books, did you like that little cameo of the giant ruby? I have a different backstory for Toothiana, but I like putting book details in here, anyway. ^_^
> 
> Tooth is just so excitable when it comes to memories. How'd you like her "rewind!" bit? XD
> 
> Just a warning, the thoughts and feelings Jack has in the upcoming memories are quite different from what is probably supposed to be understood from the movie itself. They're more complicated and tie in with the backstory I've created for this tale. They're also going to make the other Guardians feel worse… *innocent expression* BUT! It's true to the movie, too, I didn't change any scenes.
> 
> I am also revamping the first three chapters, to make them fit a little better and improve the characterization, especially of Jack. Probably get that done this week.
> 
> And finally, I'm always happy to answer questions or hear feedback or just say 'hi' if you pop by my Tumblr account (link in my profile). I end up putting a lot of stuff on there about what I'm thinking and doing as I write. And as usual, please review! :D I love hearing from you.


	12. New Life: Transported

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I just looked through my notes for the next three arcs again, and I'm so freaking excited to tell this whole story. I also have side stories that I just can't wait to write. And a sequel idea for when the first four 'volumes' are done. Wish I were independently wealthy and could just have the time to write more. Arrrrgh.
> 
> I spent the last 4 days feeling too intimidated by my own sense of incompetence at being able to capture these memories well enough. I should label this story Angst just cuz of my inner lameness. I'm taking it WAY to seriously.
> 
> And you are probably going to be bored with it, anyway. See? Angst.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_Italics_ **= What Guardians are experiencing/thinking**

Regular **= Jack's memory**

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_A wave of feeling slammed into their consciousnesses all at once, each emotion, thought and sense shooting through them, jarring and sharp, demanding full attention. It was as entirely overwhelming as diving into freezing water. Body surrounded, penetrated by a completely different substance and temperature than moments before. Direction changed, trajectory altered. Hearing impacted, sight both obscured and clarified. Every sense of self was altered, confused by the changes. How to respond? Which way was up? Which sense to pay attention to first?_

Lonely. Free. Empty. Curious. Frustrated. Determined. Isolated. Excited. Numb. Entertained. Angry. Affectionate.

_A whole new set of emotions, not their own, washed over the mental projections of North, Tooth, Sandy and Bunny. Pulling them so many different ways that didn't seem to go together. The swirl of conflicting emotions was as chaotic and unanchored as a free fall. The sight of Jack simply sitting on an electrical utility box watching Russian people walk down a street did little to clarify things._

…ey don't see me.

…are each interesting, wonderful, unique as snowfla…

…can go anywhere, do anything!

…t won't matte…

…nt to play with them.

They're not paying attentio…

…nly one way to reach…

Time for fun!

_These thoughts, themselves a rambling mess of unfocused ideas, began to shape their impression of the world they were now in._

Inhuman awareness. Knowing each movement of wind and curl of breeze. The flow of water in pipes in walls and tunnels underground, frozen to lamps and on the street and in the air, always ready to change and become something beautiful. The solid earth and its constant pull. The shifting temperature- toasty inside the buildings, cold as the energy running through him outside. Each warm body, alive and moving, sparks he couldn't reach or touch, slight impressions of different emotions wafting from them tantalizingly.

_This connection to the physical world was perhaps the most shocking, as it was totally unfamiliar to the non-elemental spirits. Difficult to process and slightly terrifying in its scope. But this was all intuition to Jack._

And deep, deep inside, feeding veins and lungs and flesh, something indescribable in his spirit. Something enormous, something too complex to understand. Something he barely acknowledged. It remained fixed in his subconscious.

_The Guardians tried to understand it. Cold? Warm? Light? Dark? Solid? Untouchable? Whatever it was constantly radiated to the surface, racing through his blood, drifting through his skin, rushing through the fingers touching his staff, which sang with the power, always pushing to release it. Connecting with the world around him._ _They trembled with the impression of this power, so interwoven with his being, so wild, so inexplicable._

And then there was music. Playful, inspiring, joyful, boundless sound in his mind as Jack finally tapped his staff against the surface he was sitting on, releasing the frost to touch what he could not.

Instantly, things as mundane and concrete as words and solid physical support were gone completely. There was only sense and freedom and laughter mingling with the bouncing notes and leaping melodies as Wind, familiar, deeply known, constantly connected, both companion and self, lifted his form.

These people he adored, this is how he played with them.

A drink of water? Psh, how about something more interesting and funny. Wow, that guy is walking in the middle of the street and NOT watching where he is going. Better wake him up a little, hehe. Now, time to decorate! Walls and windows, look what they can become! Oh, that fish is too close to a window for a night like this, it won't survive the cold. Here's a visual aid, kid. Whoa, that guy looks bored and stressed- no wonder, way too much paper work. Adults always think it's more important than it is. He'll thank me later. Hi birdie, fly with me!

Dancing up and around the dome of one of the tallest and most impressive buildings in the area while releasing his frost to continue on its merry way, Jack spoke to his only true friend.

"Now _that_ was fun. Hey, Wind, take me home!"

_Even though he knew he wasn't physically there, Bunny gasped automatically as a blast of air threw them thousands of feet in the air in a matter of moments, tumbling and twirling. But, surprisingly, he didn't feel the terror such heights and loss of control normally held for him. Jack's confidence and enjoyment overpowered any irrational nerves._

_And it was truly breathtaking as they burst through the clouds and into a moonlit skyscape, then shot at incredible speeds toward the horizon. Bunny realized they were all laughing breathlessly, somehow, experiencing this rush._

_"What is that? This music?" North questioned as the memory seemed to fade._

_Before anyone could answer, they were falling back through thinning clouds._

It was daylight here in Burgess, the town he had watched grow out with the generations of children he had watched grow up for three centuries. This was where he was born, it was a place he managed to keep a consistent tie to, despite it all. No one here told him he didn't belong. It was _his_ place. A constant of life. As much a home as he was going to get.

"Snow daaaay!"

His favorite town and his favorite children! He gave them more snow days than most. Watching the kids get excited about something he, Jack Frost, had done was the best feeling in the world.

_Tooth laughed at Jack's thought. "See? His intentions are genuinely for the happiness of children…"_

_As they watched Jack bounce around the street, eliciting startled cries from the townsfolk- 'greeting' people, as the winter spirit was thinking of it- Bunny snorted. "Yeah, kid really doesn't seem to realize how annoying he's being, though."_

_They could sense Sandy's disapproval of his comment._

_North just chuckled as he watched and felt Jack's joy when he played in the wind and then sped swiftly across the ice of the very pond where they had confronted Pitch days later._

Oh! Alright, one of his favorite playmates! Jamie Bennett, imagination personified, reading intently. Must be really interesting.

Jack wasn't ready just yet to curl the freezing waves back up inside himself so that he could approach the boy without making him really uncomfortably cold. But he _was_ curious… he barely had to think of his idea when Wind snatched the book and flung it to the ground so Jack could check it out from a distance.

_They all felt a little jolt of their own sadness as Jack began talking conversationally with the child. They felt how pointless he realized it was, but how he could never, ever bring himself to stop doing it. He could always pretend. Even with just a one-sided conversation, he could at least keep smiling._

_"I never want to see this again," Tooth murmured. "Jamie not seeing Jack."_

_As Caleb and Claude joined Jamie, excited about the weather, Bunny couldn't help but comment, "And, tha' ankle-biters really do like th' snow. He's making them happy just bein' himself."_

_He didn't miss Jack's look saddening slightly, despite his smile, as he was ignored and the conversation immediately turned from his icy gift to Easter egg hunts. He could feel the frustration and jealously warring briefly within the frost spirit, but the Easter Guardian was frankly surprised that Jack actually bothered to struggle against them at all._

No, it's OK. Easter is good. It's important. It makes the kids really happy.

Yeah, well, so do _I_. But with this last sulky thought, he managed to push the anger down and follow the boys.

Alighting as gracefully as ever on the fence, Jack tried to get back his original feeling of lightness and fun as he listened to the kids' conversation. His focus sharpened as they brought up the Easter Bunny. He wasn't sure if he preferred Claude' disbelief or Jamie's belief in the Easter Guardian. Neither made him particularly happy, but for different reasons.

"The Easter Bunny _is_ real," Jamie insisted.

"Oh he's real alright. Real annoying, real grumpy, and reeeally full of himself," Jack countered.

_North burst out laughing and mentally nudged Bunnymund. The Pooka sent a disdainful silence back, as he tried to process the handful of thoughts and feelings that whispered by as Jack said this._

A long-standing frustration with Easter and Bunny in particular, equal parts resentment and self-loathing and pride and hope. And then anger that Bunny, who probably didn't even know Jamie existed, was believed in by the boy while Jack, who had personally visited since he was born, was unknown.

_"I didn't realize he had such a connection with Jamie already?" Tooth pondered what that meant exactly, that their_ one _last believer in the world had also been consistently watched over by Jack since birth._

The winter spirit's inner turmoil kicked up several notches at the rest of the conversation around him.

"Jamie, hat! We don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose."

"Who's Jack Frost?"

"No one, honey. It's just an expression."

_The other Guardians winced even before they saw Jack's momentarily stunned face or felt the pain that shifted to indignation. And although they were sadly getting used to the hollow feeling that Jack seemed to always be carrying around, this felt worse. More personal. When other people had ignored him, he had seemed resigned more than anything. They weren't sure why this exchange in particular cut deeper._

"Hey!"

But as the negative emotions started to rise, a spark of something… _Fun_ leapt forth, smothering the frustration with a Good Idea.

"Who's Jack Frost?"

Well, let me show you, hah! A mischievous grin plastered itself across his face as he threw an enchanted snowball at Jamie's back with practiced ease.

_"How can he do that? Jus'… switch instantly from being hurt an' aggro ta playin with tha' nippers?" Bunny questioned as they watched the blue sparkles of Jack's magic light up faces and fill the air with laughter._

_"He is child, is their way. But…" North didn't need to say more. They could all feel the underlying grief that Jack so resolutely buried, favoring the happy rather than the destructive, constantly trying not to dwell on what he couldn't change anyway. But just like a child who suffers and recovers to play once more, the damage is still there beneath the resilience._

_Sandy smiled but felt an ache of his own as he observed and felt the winter spirit "play" with the other children, doing everything he could to interact with them using snow. Building up the game while oh-so-carefully staying out of range of being touched-_ passed through _._

_And even though the next sequence of events was simpler to watch and feel, swept away in Jack's happy abandon, the observers were able to understand with greater clarity and depth some of the Guardian of Fun's traits._

As was to be expected during a free-for-all snowball fight, a few projectiles missed their targets. One happened to hit Cupcake, a girl Jack had noticed over the years was often separate from other children even when they were playing happily near her. The emotions Jack felt drifting from the group of kids changed- anxiety bordering on fear towards Cupcake. And Cupcake's shifted from a resigned calm and quiet pleasure as she played by herself to the kind of hurt that comes when someone feels not only excluded, but then picked on. That hurt built up to anger and she growled.

The constant nagging sense of being helpless, unable to make a difference or interact or get attention, vanished from Jack's emotions as he focused exclusively on the pain of another- in this case a young girl who was used to taunts and jibes behind her back and falsely innocent expressions as soon as she would turn to face assailants too cowardly to confront her directly. That wasn't the case here, though- this was a group of good kids caught in a misunderstanding. Without another thought, Jack was poised atop his staff with a handful of snow. Clenching his fist around the cold material, he infused the warmth and wishes from his heart into every flake. **They want to include you. They want to play. They just don't know how. Have some fun!** The same things he told himself every time he was ignored. But at least for her, this could be true and things could change if only she'd believe it…

And he threw that snowball not at her back, but straight in her face. An ironically accepting gesture by 'one of the other kids,' pulling her in and including her in their fun. Jack watched intently for her reaction, hoping. As she blinked her eyes and began to laugh, surprising even herself, a thrill of triumph and joy ignited something wild in him and his own laughter was clear as the blue sky above them. The quick transition to joy and fun that washed over the children was a heady mixture for Jack, and he suddenly needed to do something special, something extra free and fun, no boundaries!

_He wanted to be part of this so badly, the Guardians realized. To share all the life and fun and compassion that sang through him and out into the world. To have a_ connection _that meant something. Underneath the blinding feelings they felt from Jack, their own emotions were beginning to escalate with an uncomfortable mixture of heightening fondness for him and increasing sorrow._

Jack knew exactly who he wanted to impress most, and so it was Jamie he swept up onto a sled and carried off on a bed of ice. The winter spirit brought his supernatural awareness of the elements around him to the front of his attention, knowing exactly how to create a path that would navigate the smaller boy through the hustle and bustle of town. He knew he couldn't control how people they passed reacted to it, so he didn't bother worrying about _that_. He focused on Jamie's experience alone. Making it something thrilling, unique and undeniably unusual, something that would make him wonder how it had happened, where it had come from...

_He made it seem easy with a manipulation of his powers so thoughtlessly controlled it was hard for the Guardians to distinguish exactly what he was doing, even though they were sensing and feeling everything. It was subconsciously executed mastery based on long years of habit and experience. There_ were _raised eyebrows at Jack's very reckless optimism and ability to get completely carried away with an adventure, as he flew Jamie along on the sled, creating a wave of destruction in his wake. But they recognized that there was a subtle train of thought on the periphery that assessed what was going on and was ready to adjust if there was threat of real injury to anyone. They understood the underlying thought, though: what was fun without a little risk for excitement?_

_Bunny sighed. Feeling what Jack could feel revealed one thing very clearly. The kid really_ wasn't _maliciously causing the trouble. He just saw it as an unimportant side effect to the much more important goal of having a good time, combined with a quietly desperate urge to do something that would be undeniably_ noticed _. "Still not an excuse," the Pooka grumbled as he watched cars slide into each other, but there was a tone of regret there as well._

And then Jack launched Jamie up into the arms of Wind, and though she couldn't hold him aloft, she enjoyed being included in the moment. He knew exactly how Jamie would land- safely in a snowbank- and so Jack just basked in the moment of pure joy that radiated from the air-born child, the rest of his senses taking a back seat.

This is SO AWESOME! Jack couldn't help the glow of pride he felt at how thrilled Jamie was when he landed and began describing the ride.

Yep. _That's_ Jack Frost, kid.

BAM!

Uh. Right. Couch. Paying attention to stuff. "Whoops."

Out popped a tooth and suddenly it was all about the Tooth Fairy. Aaaand it was back. Being ignored after ALL THAT for a Guardian. Ugh. Didn't those guys have _enough_ believers? Not that he had anything against the Tooth Fairy, he hadn't even met her. Which was _kind of_ the point. She wasn't here. _He_ was here. And yet, the thought of her was enough to erase his existence- well, his connection, anyway- with these children.

_Tooth sigh as she watched the sky get suddenly darker. "Ohh. Could this have been rubbed in his face any_ more _? No wonder he had such a defensive attitude about the whole Guardian thing. That awful_ veil _! I don't think I_ want _to know what he thought when he met me, after all this..."_

Jack knew it was pointless to persuade or argue. To try to convince the children. But the frustrated words just tumbled out, trying to call them back into the moment with him. Finally, so wound up at being unheard, he leapt right in front of them, even though he knew what would happen.

"What's a guy got to do to get a little _attention_ around here?"

_They all braced themselves and sure enough, the feeling of emptiness almost completely swallowed them as Jamie passed through Jack's body. The contrast was truly brutal. First the thrill of the recent funtimes, when Jack had been able to forget that he was always alone even among a group of people he was bringing joy to. And then the reminder of complete isolation that shocked through his system with a physical sting._

_Despite the chaos of the ice-induced accidents muted in the background, Bunny found he wasn't feeling a satisfying sense of justice served at the devastated look on the spirit boy's face. The weary defeat was just_ not right _, in any way, on the winter child._

_As Jack's sorrow bled out into the elements he was connected to and the snow began to fall, the Guardians wished they hadn't entered this memory with quite so cavalier an attitude._

Jack allowed his mind to go numb as he immersed himself in the clouds and snow and wind once more, seeking only to be one with his element and stop feeling for awhile.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_**Back in the present...** _

Jack was flying around North's Globe Room and, quite honestly, freaking out a bit.

Actually, it was his third freak out in a row.

First, there was the thrill of panic as not one, but a series of memories seared their way vividly from his mind. In the moments immediately following, it was all he could do not to throw up from the shocks still trembling through his body. It had been like living hours of his life in a couple of seconds as they ripped through whatever barrier surrounded him and shot into his fellow Guardians. OK, that was pretty awful, because he didn't think he wanted the others to see _all_ of that. He could understand better now that he'd experienced it once, how it worked and how to control the memory output, but it had been a very clumsy first attempt. Some moments he would rather keep to himself had slipped through.

Then he became aware that the transfer had literally thrown the whole group back several feet. And they weren't moving. Or conscious. After flying around to make sure they were all at least breathing and alive, he calmed enough to coordinate with the yetis. They had been incredibly helpful, gathering large pillows to prop the Guardians up and making sure they were at least lying comfortably.

The final burst of anxiety came when he realized he had no. Idea. What to do. Was this dangerous for them? Were they stuck? They didn't seem to want to wake up. Why hadn't Tooth left him back-up disaster instructions?! Oh! Baby Tooth! He turned to his little companion with the question, and the mini fairy basically communicated that he should just calm down and wait. The Guardians were experiencing the memories.

Wait.

Yeah.

He wasn't good at that.

Especially not when he was feeling this vulnerably exposed. It was rather torturous just waiting and watching as they experienced his intimate thoughts and feelings of _those_ particular memories. He knew he would need to explain some things… Jack cringed.

After ten minutes of pacing along the balustrades surrounding the factory center, Frost hopped back to freeze the elves who were decorating North's beard with Christmas lights. It actually didn't look bad. But one of the yetis removed them anyway.

Maybe he should try to catch up on some of Sephi's assignments. But he really didn't think he should just take off. And he didn't want to leave his friends until he knew they really were okay.

Phil looked at the antsy winter spirit. Looked at the cup of cocoa he was bringing to the boy. Hm. Maybe a little something special could be added...

When the yeti finally handed him the cup, Jack began drinking without thinking twice, finding it a welcome distraction. As he was swallowing down the last of the smooth chocolately goodness, he felt himself grow heavy.

Well, he _was_ feeling very drained by recent events... A little nap wouldn't hurt... The others were still out, anyway.

So he flopped face first onto the couch a few feet from the rest of his team and got comfortable. His face relaxed and his breathing evened out within moments.

And the yetis continued their work in peace, a watchful eye on the slumbering figures.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_It was with a decidedly disorienting lurch in both scene and emotions that the Guardians shifted to a disjointed continuation of the first memory._

Jamie's room was warm in both temperature and atmosphere as Jack peeked in. He was feeling decidedly foolish for having gotten so discouraged earlier.

It had all been entirely predictable, of course.

And look at that, Jamie was still talking excitedly about the fun they had had! Well, and the Tooth Fairy, but that was to be expected as well. He smile, resigned and calm, at the happy family scene. Escaping into it for a moment.

_"I swear, this kid bounces back like_ he's _tha kangaroo," Bunny commented, but the others could hear the relief in his voice at the boy's emotional recovery, the return of his smile. It was short lived, though. They felt it as disgust enter Jack's eyes at the sight of his own frost creeping down the window, seeming to mock the separation between himself and the happy scene. It was ironic, because they could feel that it was the sense of envy Jack was wrestling with, watching the loving family, that pushed the frost powers unintentionally out- blocking the very scene he was watching with hungry eyes._

_North sigh heavily and Sandy sent a thought of frustrated agreement._

Jack felt his face grow tight. He flipped onto the roof in a graceful twirl that even other flying spirits secretly admired. His hood was already up, making him feel safer somehow. The night was bright with moonlight, but it only reminded Jack of silence and he didn't like silence. Silence pointed out that you were alone, making you listen to your own thoughts that didn't say good things. Silence pointed out that even if someone _was_ watching, they had nothing to say to you. And if someone _is_ there and you're still ignored, you're more alone than if you were actually by yourself.

Well, Jack had something to say to the silence.

"If there's something I'm doing wrong…"

The excitement of the snowball fight and the sled ride… that had been as fun as any Easter egg hunt or Christmas tree, right? Hadn't the children's faces and laughter shown that?

But… he couldn't deny the uncharitable thoughts he had had towards the Guardians. Was that part of the problem? Like the envy-driven frost he had caused, which separated him from the companionship he watched, was his envy of what the Guardians had somehow _blocking_ it? Was there some _lesson_ he was supposed to learn? Well what the heck WAS it?

"Can you… can you just tell me what it is?"

Yes, he was begging. Careless confidence was put entirely aside because he was either alone anyway, or if there _was_ a Man in the Moon watching at that particular moment, and there was _any_ chance of _finally_ getting an answer… yeah, he'd beg.

Jack broke eye contact with the moon and looked down in torment, leaning on his staff for support.

"Because I've tried everything…"

Snatches of barely formed memories whipped by, too fast to absorb, tens of thousands of them attesting to the winter spirit's countless attempts at connecting with the people of the world.

"...and _no one_ ever _sees_ me." Desperate eyes raised back to the shining satellite. Begging. Waiting.

_All the Guardians could feel were raw nerves. They were uncomfortable watching this moment of their youngest so entirely stripped of defenses, vulnerable. They were painfully aware of each other, and their shared sense of guilt at the fact that their newest member had ever had to feel this rejected and alone._

"You put me here!" Anger, Accusation. Created from pain and grief, however, not an aggressive nature or malice. "The _least_ you can do is tell me. Tell me _why_?!"

Wasn't… wasn't that only fair? He could feel both the tears and the pleading in his eyes, but it just didn't matter. Please, please, _please_...

_"You tell 'im, Jack," Bunny seethed. If he had been angry before about the perceived withholding of information about the veil, he was livid now. How could Manny have left the boy hanging like this?!_

_An unwelcome dread crept over Tooth and Sandy as they silently pleaded along with Jack. What possible explanation could there be for this level of abandonment?_

_And even North, who trusted Manny implicitly, was finding it hard to take, that there was no response at all from the Moon._

_And just when he was thinking it was possibly… unforgivable... he realized. Maybe the veil had worked against the Moon, as well, until recently? And then Manny had told_ them _to answer Jack. That very night, in fact. With this slight thread of hope, the Christmas Guardian braced himself. Soon, Jack would be with them and everything would change for the better. As for the past… well, that's what they were trying to find out with this whole thing, right?_

Jack gave up and turned away, unanswered once again. Wind was all too happy to take him somewhere else, try to change his focus from whatever was making him so sad. Cold toes touched thick wires, and the winter spirit began listlessly spreading the frost that was always so eager to escape. As he walked along elevated electric lines, Jack tried to remind himself that he liked being free with no responsibilities. No restrictions.

Nothing to _do_ that _meant_ anything…

And just as he was trying to figure out how to turn these thoughts _off_ again, find something to distract himself with, a glow filled the sky and a smile of relief appeared. Perfect. The silence was driven back by uplifting music only he could hear once more at the sight before him.

A chuckle. The hood came off. The sense of being completely alone eased a bit. He allowed the sense of wonder and fun to fill him again as the golden strands crossed the dark sky and danced by.

_Sandy could feel the intense gratitude of the other Guardians as the frost child dashed to catch one of the glowing streams, and he allowed himself a moment of joy at the fact that he had in some small way been able to protect this boy of theirs. To bring the real Jack Frost back from the silence._

_As a dolphin burst from the place Jack's fingers touched, the dream weaver was all the more determined to break this curse and relearn his own past with the child._

Jack was still smiling at the sky, trying to savor the last glows, when a dark shape flew past him, startling the boy and sending him off in immediate pursuit.

_"Finally, we get ta' the point," Bunny sighed with relief._

_The Pooka remembered their encounter well enough to view the prospect of experiencing it from Frost's perspective with some trepidation. But could there really be anything worse than this relentless loneliness? Watching Jack's ghost act, trying to play and talk with people who would never respond, was agonizing. It had to be better when he had someone to actually hold a conversation with, even if there was some initial tension._

_Right?_

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um. I dunno 'bout that, Bunny. Mwahahahaha.
> 
> The music thing I KNOW is painfully cheesy, but I COULD NOT HELP IT. Freaking Alexandre Desplat. I just can't imagine the first scene without the music. (Don't worry, I have headcanon that will explain it later)
> 
> Also, this took what feels like an unusually long time to write. I started before 1pm and it's 11:30pm now, with almost no breaks, just to get the first draft. Ugh. You would think that having scenes already established that you're retelling would make it easier, but noooo. I think it's easier to write my own.
> 
> I know there are a lot of things that are hinted at here that aren't fully explained yet. That's intentional. Same with the next chapters. Just some handy foreshadowing and back story hints.
> 
> And yes, Phil (mildly) drugged Jack's cocoa. Am I the first author to cross that line? Also, why do I keep having Jack fall asleep?! (eh heh, don't answer that, I know already)
> 
> Thank you for the reviews- it's amazing to know what you're thinking. :) Writing can be a lonely process without that kind of dialogue.


	13. New Life: Guardian Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm being so slow to get all the chapters up here. -.-;;
> 
> If you don't want this scene to be ruined forever in your mind, don't read this. Is it bad that I try to forget my own fanfic when I'm watching the movie, now?
> 
> If you are going to read this, and you haven't watched the movie in awhile, I'd recommend it so it's clear in your mind beforehand or this may be a little hard to follow.

* * *

_Italics_ **= What Guardians are experiencing/thinking**

Regular **= Jack's memory**

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_The Guardians fell silent as Jack's alertness and focus pulled them in. The longer they stayed in the memory, the more they felt simply absorbed into experiencing it, separated from their own thoughts and feelings._

It was definitely another supernatural being. The way spirits' physical forms interacted with the natural world he constantly sensed was just slightly different from mortal beings and objects. Spirits melted in with the surroundings more.

And the likelihood that a spirit would just happen to show up in Jack's town without intentionally targeting him was close to nil. In fact, there had only been a couple of circumstantial instances like that in the past few centuries since the winter spirit had taken up 'residence'.

And possibly fewer which hadn't meant trouble.

It was always best to deal with it directly, he had found. The specific approach depended on the spirit, their strength and their intentions. So far, he had always managed to get the upper hand in the end while he was on his own home turf. It just took creativity, sometimes.

And so he followed, trying to see and feel where the being was going. Hm, it's trying to be stealthy, while also obviously trying to get his attention. A weaker spirit, then, trying to lure him into a trap rather than direct confrontation? Heh. Sounds like fun.

First approach: see if it's easy to rattle. Some spirits were distinctly shy of humans, so Jack's bouncing on cars and setting off alarms may startle it enough to give him the advantage. Besides, the winter prankster had always liked car alarms. It was like he was telling a world who couldn't hear him, "I'm here!" in a way they could.

He continued to follow where he could sense the air moved as the 'visitor' passed. The way it knocked over a trash can could have been a sign of clumsy nerves on the other spirit's part, but it seemed too convenient- intentional. And really, an alley? Jack became more wary and held his staff at the ready. No, this was a focused and practiced attempt to ambush him.

He wasn't about to back down. This was his home. And almost every spirit he met- or on the rare occasion re-met- underestimated him anyway. It both irked him and made him grateful, as he typically then had the upper hand and managed to find ways _other_ than fighting to deal with them. Often it consisted of confusing or annoying them until they got distracted by something else and left. The majority simply vanished if he played with them long enough- he'd turn around and they'd be gone, and the silence would somehow be louder than before. Outside of a single hostile sentence (if he was lucky enough to get even that) from a Spring spirit each March, it was usually years until he'd encounter another being who could see him again.

He landed on the pavement, knowing full well it was a trap. Because even a confrontation was better than silence.

_Sandy sent a puzzled thought to the others. There were precious few spirits left in the world. Sandy had watched the vast majority either go into deep hiding or fade from existence, most of them never able to manifest again. The ones who were left were typically tied to a location or so busy, he couldn't imagine them seeking Jack out just to cause trouble. So how was it that Jack had encountered a number of them like that in this single town?_

"Hullo, mate."

Jack whirled around. Oh. The silhouette, boomerangs and voice were familiar and Jack almost relaxed before he remembered. In darkness, some things were not always as they seemed.

"Been a long time. Blizzard of '68, I believe. Easter Sunday, wasn't it?"

When the Easter Bunny stepped into the light, the winter spirit felt most of his apprehension melt away, anger and an old aching hurt taking its place for a few heartbeats. Yep, that was definitely him, _and_ \- Jack suddenly felt a small thrill- the Pooka remembered the last time they met. Even if he didn't look happy about it. And even if that incident was a recollection Jack himself didn't enjoy _at all_. Still… he wasn't _forgotten_. That realization created a spark of hope that buried his anger for the moment. Maybe this year… maybe it could be different between them. And on that cheerful thought, Jack's face relaxed and his cheekiness rose quickly to the ready.

Because even with a spirit he _knew_ wouldn't physically hurt him, there were two rules Jack Frost lived by when dealing with others of his kind.

Keep your distance.

Don't show weakness.

And at the moment, with their most recent past encounter in '68 ending so terribly, these rules definitely applied to the Easter Guardian.

"Bunny! You're not still mad about that, are ya?" Look harmless. He knew the best way to both annoy the Pooka and give a hint that he was willing to put the past behind them was to brush off that history as if it hadn't bothered him and no longer mattered.

"Yes."

Jack mentally laughed. Bunny never changed, and his grumpy face was _fantastic_. How could he get him to do it again?

_Tooth, North and Sandy tried to hold back laughter at the sulky waves of emotion coming from Bunny. Even though Jack wasn't here, his former self had accomplished his goal._

_Bunny, however, was now really beginning to wonder about his own history with the winter spirit. It seemed to have been… complicated._

"But this is about somethin' else."

Jack could guess. The Pooka had probably noticed the snow he'd brought earlier and wanted to warn him off of the approaching holiday. He was idly wondering why the usually direct rabbit had bothered with stealth and ambush. But he was more interested in seeing how many sentences he could stretch this conversation into before the other spirit took off again and left Jack to wander in search of something other than silence.

"Fellas."

A quick stab of panic as he realized there was SOMETHING ELSE THERE and why had he focused so much on Bunny and his own internal musings that he stopped paying attention to his surroundings?! But panic quickly shifted to annoyance as he recognized the yetis. Ohhh, they were going to be insufferable after this, having succeeded in sneaking up on _him_ for once. But wait, why were they even h- the thought was cut off as a yeti grabbed him unceremoniously and yanked him off the ground.

"Hey! Put me down!"

He could have sent an ice blast to free himself, but it wasn't something he liked to do to the yetis, and it seemed a bit extreme until he knew what kind of game they were playing. And since when did they tag team with the Easter Bunny?! Wait, was that a sack?

"What the-"

And the next instant he was shoved in, the opening quickly tied shut. As he struggled against the fabric, the only thought keeping him from _freaking out_ from claustrophobia was the realization that the yetis would never hurt him. This had to be a strange game, he just needed to figure it out…

_"Really, Bunny, that's it? You ambushed him and didn't explain anything before just tossing him in a sack?" Tooth's tone had gone full-on regal disapproval._

_"Hey, the sack wasn'_ my _idea! And as I recall,_ you _were the one with the brilliant idea that_ I _had ta be the one ta fetch him."_

_"Sack was meant to add comfort and excitement of surprise…"_

_Sandy sent them all an impression of an incredulous look and a message that they were_ all _responsible for the snafu, before Jack's thoughts took center stage once more._

Jack felt his sack being tossed, then something gave a tingly lurch, his senses reeled, and he landed- rather hard, guys!- on the ground.

Even from inside the sack he could tell he was somewhere very different. Somewhere far north, judging by the pull of the earth and the strength of Winter, and obviously he was inside a dwelling. It was warmer and the sounds had changed. There were other voices. Maybe this wasn't a game? If the yetis were involved, maybe something had happened with a certain dark spirit- a little bit of dread began to creep into him.

The sack was untied and a couple of elves peered in. A flood of amazing smells filled his senses- cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate, cloves, wood dust, paint, a hint of smoke- He was _in_ Santa's factory?! Then maybe this _was_ about-

Heart pounding, he peaked out.

The first thing he saw was fire. Before he could become alarmed, he noticed North standing in front of it. Just as he had remembered, huge and energetic and gleeful. Although Jack had always longing for recognition from the stern but friendly Guardian he so rarely got to meet, he knew North didn't do things without a purpose. Jack was both relieved at the lack of immediate danger and alarmed at the implications of being brought before Santa himself. This MUST be serious.

"Hey, there he is!" North seemed jolly enough, though?

And... there was the _Sandman_ , with his open smile that usually put Jack at ease during their occasional precious encounters. W-what was going _on_?!

"Jack Frost!"

And since it was Bunny who brought him here, that would mean the other person in front of him was probably the last member of the Big Four… the Tooth Fairy.

Jack instantly felt foolish for ever having suspected that she might be anything like the _other_ fairy queen he had met. Toothiana, as he knew her to be named, looked like the sort of fairy monarch children imagined and hoped for. Beautiful and kind. Colorful and graceful with a welcoming smile. He could definitely understand why all her helpers always seemed so happy.

_The male Guardians were almost yanked out of the memory at the blast of affection coming from Tooth at these thoughts. They had to smile, though, at her exuberant laughter. If they were in their physical forms, she would be giving everyone within reach a bear hug. And then as a pendulum swings, they all fell even further into the memory._

"Wow," The confused boy murmured as it started to sink in.

The Guardians all looked relaxed and happy, there was obviously no immediate danger. Jack was trying to process this.

So… the Guardians had brought him here. _All four_ of them.

For the first time ever.

With no notice or explanation.

In. A. Sack.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Intimidation tactics? He was probably in trouble, especially if _Bunny_ had been the one sent to bring him in.

As yetis once again invaded his personal space, this time to haul him to his feet, he began to grow annoyed as an unsettling mixture of wariness, defensiveness and unease filled him. He even shrugged off a well-meaning yeti who was trying to be helpful.

He usually didn't mind when people gave him a hard time for his behavior. At least they were paying attention then. But this was different, to be called up in front of the Big Four formally. His own personal struggle with the Guardians overwhelmed his thoughts and feelings.

He had always desired the companionship of these seemingly permanent spirits, their clear purpose and their status with children. But he resented the fact that he himself had none of those things despite his best efforts, while they achieved it using methods he couldn't admire. And he resented that he couldn't stop _wanting_ what he was denied. The Guardians had become symbols, constant reminders that he was _lacking_ somehow. To be reprimanded by _them_ \- and four against one to boot- would be nearly unbearable. His emotions swirled unpleasantly until old desperation and bitterness poisoned his thoughts.

This was just the kind of heavy handed treatment he would have expected from everyone's _favorite_ spirits. Wrapped up in their own self-importance, oblivious to anything beyond their own immediate priorities or whatever. Ignoring everything except what was concerning their happy little worlds at the moment. Oh yeah, just kidnap Jack Frost, he never has anything _important_ to do anyway.

He obviously had not captured their interest _at all_ before, so what would they want now? He couldn't remember doing anything particularly bad...

_The Guardians were all feeling foolish and frustrated that they had unwittingly made Jack feel judged and insignificant before they'd even begun the introductions. They_ had _been decidedly careless in their approach. It was ridiculously obvious that it would be interpreted as aggression, especially to a formerly rejected and abandoned spirit, frequently written off as a troublemaker and nothing more. He_ would _assume they were going to give him a hard time._

"Hope the yetis treated you well?"

Was North _kidding_?

"Oh yeah," Jack chuckled sarcastically, " I love being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal!"

Yeah, just throw the nobody in a bag and haul him in front of the Guardian court of judgment, then ask him if he liked the journey. So considerate.

"Oh good, that was my idea!"

Nope. He wasn't kidding. Really that oblivious.

"You know Bunny, obviously," North continued.

Bunny was looking uninterested, which might actually be to Jack's own advantage given their rough history, if the Guardians were trying to hold him accountable for something.

"Obviously." Jack smirked in amusement at Bunny's sulking.

"And the Tooth Fairy." She zipped up to him as North introduced her.

Whoa, whoa, personal space! This was definitely breaking Jack's distance-from-other-spirits rule!

"Hello, Jack. I've heard a lot about you."

He couldn't help smiling a little despite his inner turmoil. Her enthusiasm and movements were very like her mini fairies, and he'd always liked _them_. Maybe she would play "good cop" in this interrogation or trial or whatever he was facing. He didn't really feel like he should just push her away… she seemed so nice and normal…

"And your TEETH!"

Uhhh?

"M-my what?"

"Open up! Are they really as white as they say?! Yes!"

And suddenly her hands were on his face and had anyone touched his face before and he couldn't think to pull away only make incomprehensible sounds as he was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation and then just as suddenly the touching stopped and he could only shoot a bewildered look at the others.

"Oh, they really _do_ sparkle like freshly fallen snow."

As she and the mini fairies looked at him with such adoration, he found he couldn't be too annoyed that they were only interested in his teeth. It was pretty funny and cute and at least they were interested in _something_ about him. Besides, he'd always had a soft spot for the little fairies...

"Girls, pull yourselves together. Let's not disgrace the uniform." And then she was all business again as she moved away.

As North tried to wake Sandy for his introduction, Jack tramped down on the feeling of rejection that rose at the golden Guardian's inattention. But really, this was getting ridiculous, could they just get this over with?! Give him their lecture and let him go?

"Hey, ho! Anyone wanna tell me why I'm here?"

He got down on Sandy's level as the small Guardian, now awake, launched into an enthusiastic but incomprehensible response. If the silent spirit was the one who was going to chew Jack out, it wouldn't be so bad. And although it _was_ endearing and he appreciated the attempt, the sand signing was so fast it didn't clarify anything. And he wanted this over with.

"Uhhh, it, that, that's not really helping, but- but thanks, little man."

He casually turned and began walking away to get the distance he craved, icing a passing elf in defiance. Fine, he'd play their guessing game.

"I must have done something _really_ bad to get you four together…"

The only _other_ possibility for their bringing him here was that a certain unpleasant spirit had come back. He didn't even like _thinking_ the name. He shot the nearby yetis an assessing look. How to ask them without asking?

"Am I on the naughty list?" He laughed internally. Subtle, Frost. He saw the yetis roll their eyes.

"Hah! _On_ naughty list? You hold record."

Of course he did. Well, North obviously still didn't know anything about his arrangement with the yetis.

_Arrangment?! This was starting to really bother North. What had the yetis been keeping from him? He had thought he kept such a careful eye on everything in his domain, but apparently he had missed something quite vital..._

"But, no matter, we overlook. Now, we are wiping clean the slate."

Or _did_ North know?! Verify, don't jump to conclusions, Frost… "How come?"

"Hah, good question." Why did Bunny care about this?

North's enthusiasm increased as he responded, "How come? I TELL you how come! Because now you are _Guardian_!"

Suddenly there were yetis yodeling and _fire_ and elves blowing trumpets.

And in an instant _nothing_ he had thought was going on made sense.

Jack was completely bewildered as banners unfurled and everyone was moving and even the little fairies were joining in _whatever this was_ as they brought a garland of colored snowflakes and yetis were looking with pride and affection and drums and confetti and marching and FIRE!

Until they had him completely surrounded, maneuvered into place. His nerves were hyper sensitive to the fire held by the yetis behind him and in the fire place across the room, boxing him in from both directions. The yetis were too close, they would catch him if he tried to fly away, and they certainly seemed intent on keeping him there.

_North cringed. He had simply wanted to treat it like a celebration. Why hadn't he considered for a moment? Of course fire and a big parade of noise directed at a winter spirit used to a life of solitude would feel intimidating. How thoughtless could he have been? He had rarely felt so ashamed as he did now seeing the alarm on that vulnerable young face and feeling the panic Jack tried to fight back._

Then a few more elves marched up with… he didn't think he could even call them _shoes_. Apparently they had a _problem_ with his bare feet.

And amid the cacophony of chaos and confusion, the only thing that he understood with any clarity was that he would look ridiculous in those booties.

Were they trying to embarrass him, mock him?

Ohhh. Of course.

I see how it is.

If you're going to pull a cruel joke, you should be a little more subtle on the set up, guys.

He didn't really care to figure out what they would be mad enough about to pull a stunt like this. He could just imagine them sitting around judging him at one of their meetings. He always caused trouble. He always played tricks. He tried to be believed in, tried to imitate their methods in the past, how absurd of him. Need to teach the upstart a lesson.

_...He had tried to imitate them?_

Hold a ceremony, make him believe he was going to belong, and at the last minute, when he was fully participating, laugh in his face. Did you really think you could be one of us?

Well, you're too late for that trick, I've been there, done that, not falling for it again.

Or maybe- and this was worse- they would go through the motions, let him try and then let him fail as usual in his attempts, in order to make their point. Make him a Guardian, 'support his efforts', and it would be all the more obvious, when he remained invisible, that he simply wasn't cut out for it. He did things Differently, and that wasn't The Right Way. Their Way.

_The Guardians were completely shocked at Jack's paranoid thoughts. He had thought they were capable of such cruelty?_

Rejection. Pain. Anger. Knotting everything inside him.

Well you KNOW WHAT?! I figured out a long time ago I don't WANT to be one of you ANYWAY!

He let out some of his fury, slamming his staff into the ground so they would all STOP and just SHUT UP.

"What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?!"

At their shocked looks he felt a moment of triumph. Yeah. Not EVERYONE admires you, wants to _be_ you (or… only a little… but not really...). So full of yourselves. I'll turn your own stupid joke against you. Hah! I'm rejecting _you_!

It seemed bizarre and unnerving when North began laughing. Maybe… maybe he was happy Jack had figured it out, so they didn't have to bother to go through with it to make their point?

"Of course you do."

Nope, not letting him off that easily, it seemed. And he had always thought North was particularly kind, if a little unobservant. Their encounters in the past attested to that. Did he really believe this strongly in proving to Jack that he wasn't Guardian material? Hello, big guy, I already KNOW that.

_The memory observers remembered Jack hadn't really understood what they did, but… What did he think it meant to be 'Guardian material', that he thought he was lacking?_

"Music!"

"No music!"

Music was joy, it was the lifeblood of his existence pulling him into each happy moment, it should never, ever be used to mock. Hurt. Stab at someone.

Fine, fine, FINE. He would spell it out for them, play along and show them he had already learned this lesson. So SORRY for HOPING I could do something like you to be Seen. Shame on me.

_Do something like them? So he_ had _tried to imitate them at one point. It seemed bizarre that they had never known… had they really been paying so little attention?_

_"Or, the veil?" Tooth murmured._

"This is all very flattering, but you don't want me." Duh.

Be casual. State what they obviously want to hear.

He managed to put some more distance between them, leapt on a table and gained some higher ground. Room to breathe.

"You're all _hard work_ and _deadlines_. And I'm snowballs and funtimes." See, I know I'm not like you and I don't want to BE like you and I have a better life, anyway.

"I'm not a Guardian." Happy? That's what you want to hear, right? We cool?

Bunny laughed, "H'yeah! That's exactly what I said!"

Yup. Jack felt a sense of relief at the Pooka's confirmation. This was almost over.

_Bunny drooped. He had forgotten how early he had made his dislike of Jack's inclusion known to the boy, not even giving him a chance._

Jack felt a twinge of annoyance as North gave the rabbit a fierce look of disapproval.

Look, just let Bunny let me go. Let it go. We're done here.

Jack wasn't expecting Tooth's interference. It was all he could do not to bolt away as she flew up with serious eyes and put a hand on his arm.

"Jack, I don't think you understand what it is we do." She gestured to the globe. "Each of those lights is a child."

Where was she going with this? Was she trying to make rejection easier for him by explaining why Guardians were so _special_?

"A child who _believes_. And good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them." Yeeees, North, you have allll those believers. Noooo, I'm not cut out for that. I get it.

He wondered what that meant, _protect them_.

_The Guardians were beginning to wonder that, too, as they had very clearly failed in Jack's case. They were tense and silent as each moment showed how badly this had gone, from the winter spirit's perspective._

And he wondered if North's adamant attempts to draw him into this debacle were because he had found out about things Jack had _tried_ to do to be like them and gain believers, and was insulted or worried Jack would mess things up.

And then his pensive thoughts were pushed aside as there were fingers in his mouth again, with nearly perfect comedic timing. And suddenly, he could see the humor in it all. Here they were, using reverse psychology to convince him he shouldn't try to be something he already KNEW he didn't want to be anymore.

_North sighed deeply as he realized how far behind they had left Jack in explaining any of this at the time. How ridiculous it had been to just assume he'd_ love _being initiated into their group, with no thought for his situation or level of understanding._

_This memory painted a very clear picture for him. North recognized he really had been arrogant and heavy handed, so satisfied with his own position and role, he was convinced beyond reason that anyone would look up to him and desire the same, no questions asked. Jack had considered him kind yet "unobservant," but this was much more than that. It was proud, willful ignorance._

"Tooth, fingers out of mouth."

"Oh, sorry. They're beautiful." She really was probably trying to be nice. He could appreciate that.

Jack mentally shrugged and disconnected. At least he finally got to look around the factory a little bit. Small silver lining there, but that's what he lived for. He kept his expression casual, with a slight smile, trying to distract himself. Never show weakness.

"OK, no more wishy-washy. Pitch is out there doing who knows WHAT!"

"You mean, the Boogeyman?" Jack couldn't help chuckling. _That's_ the story they were going with?

"Yes! When Pitch threatens us, he threatens them as well!" North gestured to the globe of lights. Again confirming why the Guardians were so special and important.

Now Jack was insulted. He had played along but this had gone far enough. They were _really_ going to make him verbally affirm every reason _they_ were so important and _he_ shouldn't try to belong? Use against him his inability to be believed in and therefore 'protect' kids in the same ways they did? Try to make him say it, that he wasn't 'equipped' to protect children and shouldn't pretend otherwise? This was so _stupid_.

"All the more reason to pick someone more _qualified_." He turned away dismissively and hoped they had picked up on the derogatory tone regarding 'qualifications'.

North's response we immediate. "Pick? You think _we_ pick? No, you were _chosen_ , like we were _all_ chosen! By Man in Moon."

"What?"

And in that moment Jack realized he again didn't know what 'game' they were playing anymore. He knew they revered Manny too much to lie about him.

"Last night, Jack. He chose you." Tooth didn't look like she was joking.

"Maybe." Bunny's reluctance during this whole thing suddenly made a little more sense- he probably would be more frustrated at the possibility of Jack's inclusion than if they were, in fact, just trying to humiliate him.

"Man in the Moon… he talks to you?" So Jack was the only one he ignored. Told _others_ what to do with him, how he should be _managed_. A hollow ache settled in his chest.

And from the sounds of it, the Man in the Moon was the one who chose and directed the Guardians… so then it was _MIM_ who had determined that Their Way was the Right Way. The way to get believed in. Be Seen. So Jack's own attempts His Way flew in the face of the method set up by the one calling all the shots.

_The Guardians, trying to follow his thoughts, were getting lost- His Way? Their Way? What did any of that_ mean _? This was obviously about more than deadlines vs funtimes._

"You see, you cannot say no, it is destiny," North concluded.

"But wh-why wouldn't he tell me that himself?" He had _asked_ enough times, tried _checking_ with the Moon as he both imitated and ultimately rejected their methods. It just rubbed it in further, really- he, Jack Frost hadn't been worth talking to, but the Guardians were the Moon's _special_ ones.

But then, that meant _now_...

For the briefest of moments, peering up at that always silent, always shining spirit, he felt hope. He was finally being given a chance by the Man in the Moon himself to have what the Guardians had, all the rewards they enjoyed with their empire of believers. To finally have both purpose and presence in the lives of others.

If this chance had come up a few hundred years ago, he would have taken it without hesitation. But in those centuries of trying to achieve it by himself, he had come to see that the practices and rewards of the Guardian Way were NOT what he wanted.

At first he had tried to mimic their methods however he could. After all, they made kids happy and were believed in, _seen_ , in return. And although he consistently failed to achieve the same, he kept trying.

But as the years passed, he never once saw the Guardians actually _with_ the children, not really. They didn't try to be with the children just as they didn't try to be with Jack. It bewildered him why they would go through all the trouble of gaining believers if they weren't going to _enjoy_ them. They just deposited their presents, eggs, coins and dreams and left, receiving belief from afar. It was a transaction, not a relationship. They didn't come down from their busy towers to play with the children. To appreciate them. To _be_ with them.

How could they claim to _care_ about them?

And yet Jack, who had stayed closer, right alongside the children this whole time, to love them and appreciate their delight when he made it snow or created a snowball fight or rushed down a hill on a sled or frosted over a windows so they could draw… he remained invisible.

It had never made sense to the lonely winter spirit, and it certainly didn't now.

_North, Tooth, Bunny and Sandy were stunned._

_Because it was so simple._

_And Jack was right._

_They had disconnected from the very ones they were charged with protecting. This passion and care Jack had for children seemed to put theirs to shame. And the injustice of his situation, being rewarded with eternal isolation, was acute._

_And yet they were the ones who had judged_ him _. And blindly tried to correct him, make him become like them, get him to see their point of view, without ever even asking about his or considering that they maybe didn't know everything. No wonder he didn't trust them or their intentions._

_They were no longer even remotely surprised at his anger._

"After three hundred years, THIS is his answer? To spend eternity like you guys? Cooped up in some hideout thinking of, of new ways to bribe kids?"

He knew he definitely didn't want the Guardians' kind of arrangement- to do a lot of busy work, _buy_ belief, and ignore the children themselves. If he wasn't going to be _with_ the kids, why did being believed in matter? Better to be invisible but at least personally connected on his side than to not even have the consolation of that one-sided company.

He'd keep making them happy his own way, _thank you_. 'Protect' them in his own way. Even if they never knew him back. Because at least then _he_ knew _them_ , and could care for them in small ways, though it went unrecognized.

So. The Moon was doing either one of two things with this "invitation".

Either he genuinely wanted to make Jack into one of these Guardians, fit him into their mold. Ugh.

Or… could the Moon read his mind? Did he know all the ungracious thoughts Jack had about MIM's _chosen ones_? Well, he didn't really need to read minds, Jack had outright yelled his criticisms at the Moon a few times.

So maybe it wasn't the Guardians' idea but the Moon who decided on a 'make-Jack-attempt-and-fail' trick to show his rebellious winter creation that envying or trying to imitate his chosen ones was wrong. So he would accept it and not interfere. Stop his futile efforts. Accept his lot. He wasn't a Guardian.

Whatever. Either way, his reply would be the same.

"Noo, no. That's NOT for me!" Jack's anger simmered over as he yelled up at his creator.

"No offense." Yeah, he'd gone a little far directly criticizing the rest of his audience, but he wasn't feeling particularly sorry at the moment.

"How, how, HOW is that not offensive?"

Jack turned away. He couldn't care less what Bunny or the rest of them thought, he tried to convince himself. He was just too heartsick by this whole night and its cruelty. That's the _last_ time he ever talked to the Moon.

_Bunny didn't want to watch the rest. He knew what was coming, and with this newfound insight into where Jack was mentally and emotionally, he didn't think he could bear it. But he heard his past self continue.  
_

"You know what I think, I think we dodged a bullet. I mean, what's this _clown_ know about bringing joy ta children?"

_The Pooka sunk lower, his own past words mocking him- as if they should have been directed at himself. He wished they had been..._

Alright, that one was too easy and his anger too raw. A tired smile, shake of the head, and he couldn't help replying, _trying_ to defend himself and his methods. "Uh, you ever hear of a snow day? I know it's no hardboiled egg, but kids _like_ what I do." Which you would _know_ if you _paid any attention_.

_"Don't say it, don't say it…" Bunny was furiously wishing away his next words. His companions were silent, caught in a sense of dread._

"But none of them believe in ya, do they?"

Knife in.

"Y'see, you're invisible mate. It's like you don't even _exist_."

And twist.

_Bunny could feel every last shred of Hope being sucked out of the boy as he oh-so-deftly pointed out that Jack's way was Wrong, would never be rewarded. Grief choked the Pooka as he realized what he'd done- destroying his own Center's purpose and reinforcing the crushing lie that Jack was_ lacking _, when the truth was the exact opposite._

Bunny was right, he realized, and the reality struck a solid blow. The Easter Guardian was pointing out exactly what Jack was sacrificing by not being like them, by rejecting them. He'd never be Seen, never have companionship, never mean anything- all the things that mattered most. Well, almost most. The kids themselves would always, _always_ be first.

_Please don't think like that… don't listen ta me..._

Don't show weakness. He could only smile and nod, as if conceding a point that didn't really matter, even though his heart felt completely empty.

"Bunny! Enough." Yeah, he thought absently, she was nice.

_Tooth was furious with herself. Why hadn't she stopped this earlier? Why hadn't she_ insisted _more firmly at this point?_

"No, the kangaroo's right." Pretend it doesn't matter.

"Th- the what? What did you call me? I'm _not_ a kangaroo, mate."

The Pooka stalked over, and Jack stood his ground.

"Oh, and this whole time I thought you _were_." Bunny probably wouldn't remember that long ago conversation, but Jack clung to the memory and the slight sense of satisfaction at how much the term had annoyed the rabbit a couple centuries ago. Giving a little torment for what he was receiving. "If you're not a kangaroo- _what_ are you?" It was weak, and he knew it, but that's all he could muster at the moment.

_Don't… don't say..._

"I'm a Bunny. The Easter Bunny. People. Believe. In _me_."

And then the silence he had avoided earlier that night filled his mind, killing everything, the light, laughter, music, hope… just silence promising to stay with him for the rest of his existence. Just silence and darkness and despair. He had sealed his fate. It would be like he didn't exist, forever, to the young people he cared about most. How long would he last before he faded entirely away? That's what happened to unnecessary spirits, right? Fading. Not a bad prospect, with this silence facing him, filling him.

Why had the Moon bothered to give him a name at all?

"Jack."

He must have gone somewhere very dark, judging by how much that very name startled him.

"Walk with me."

It took a moment, but North's serious blue eyes brought him back, and he was breathing, and he was _Jack_ again. Jack Frost. He did things his own way. He would _be_ with the kids until he died or faded or whatever, and he'd go with a smile.

He turned from Bunny without another word or glance and followed the largest Guardian.

These four, they _did_ do good things for the kids, even from a distance, and he would always be grateful for that. But he would never want to live without the children, himself. They were… they were all that he had, all that he was, and all that he would ever be.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can feel your hatred from heeeere. Look back two chapters at the author's note. I told you it'd be angsty.
> 
> And if you check out my Tumblr when I was writing this, you'll see how much I HATED writing this- IT WAS SO HARD TO FIGURE OUT AND COMMUNICATE THE WAY I WANTED! YES I AM YELLING RIGHT NOW!
> 
> For the first part, there are reasons Jack is wary of other spirits who would seek him out, going along with my world canon (and it's not because they randomly get cranky).
> 
> It's pretty funny how pivotal a role those silly shoes play in all this, isn't it? They're a total catalyst. Puts the first chapter into a little more perspective?
> 
> I have specific backstory I'll reveal eventually about Jack's attempts at imitation and why he has such conviction about the in-person aspect of caring for children. It is not inconsequential.
> 
> I will at some point do a side story showing how in the world they decided stuffing Jack in a bag was the right first step for welcoming him into their group… it must have been a really weird discussion.
> 
> Also, I will always make funtimes one word because when it comes to Jack, it is it's own darn thing.
> 
> As always, tell me about your impressions and reading experience, please! *points to review box* ^_^


	14. New Life: Paradigm Shift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I'm just going to post the rest as is- it's good enough for now!
> 
> Chapter 11 may be a satisfying transition? Chapter 12 is the final memory-heavy chapter for awhile. We gotta get back to the present day plot sometime, eh? Spring. Pitch. Memory veil mystery. And so much more. ;D And how are all these new revelations and understandings from the memories going to impact everyone!? Mwahahahaha… I have so much fun. ^_^
> 
> Oh wait, I can't end the author's note there, on a giddy high note, when this chapter starts off kinda depressing. Hmmm… REMEMBER HOW BAD JACK FELT AT THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER! Loss of hope. Silence. Darkness. Got it? OK, read on...

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Bunny hated it. Every look and word. So painful. And the moment he watched himself fully brake through the cocky, defensive shield and basically stab the kid where he was already deeply, endlessly wounded, causing him to think _such thoughts_ … he had never desired to undo something so desperately.

Was that really him?

Was he really that brutal and blind? Could he not see for just a _second_ that Jack's words were of frustration and sorrow and a sad attempt at self-preservation? Had it been beyond his comprehension, that having been abandoned for centuries just _might_ wear down a kid's self-worth to the point that all that would be left is a weary self-loathing and a fragile shell to hide behind?

No, he had only thought of his own ego, of his prejudice. And so he had lashed out against petty criticisms and in return… there was really no other word for the way he realized Jack had felt. He had _tortured_ the winter child. Emotionally beat him down and kicked him while he was defenseless.

A child.

He had seen it clearly this last week, that Jack still had the heart of a child.

A child of greater wisdom then they, it seemed.

A child Manny had specially chosen to be with them. For them to care for. To learn from.

A child who had known nothing of companionship and care for hundreds of years.

A child who somehow still had a generous and compassionate soul, despite these things.

A child who was all alone in the world.

And he had _intentionally_ rubbed these unfortunate circumstances in, intimidated him, reaffirmed all the negative thoughts relentlessly eating away at his gentle spirit.

As the memory faded to white, Bunny saw only black.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

The white eased back slowly and they were each alone within their own minds. Senses and emotions seemed duller in comparison with the world they had just experienced, a connection with things within and outside themselves suddenly gone.

For a long, long moment, no one wanted to open their eyes or move.

The sound of her own heartbeat echoing in her ears eventually brought Tooth fully back to the moment. As existence itself seemed to normalize, her face crumped at the raw pulses of grief flaring through her frame. She finally faced the task of opening her eyes, and had to blink several times to get past the blur of tears. Rolling her aching body into a sitting position, she immediately saw her fellow memory travelers in as bad a state as she was, propped up on large cushions on the floor of the globe room. Sandy's head was lowered and his small hands were pressed tightly to his eyes, slightly darker lines of sand down his face evidence of his weeping. North didn't even bother to cover his face, sitting slumped over as large drops soaked into his beard, his eyes dull and unfocused.

Bunny was just lying motionless in a tight ball, face hidden. She might have thought him still unconscious if she hadn't known the memory had dissipated. North's whisper brought her focus back to the large man.

"He saw us as… as... and we… _hurt him_. Like monster." And that's exactly what North felt like right now.

North realized that none of it- not bedrooms or surprises or toy designs- could ever really make up for how they had made him feel in the beginning. Those wounds were cut deep, and it would take more than a few token gestures to heal the lacerated soul that was their Jack.

As North looked up slightly at this realization, his gaze fell on the sleeping form of the winter spirit, lying on his stomach slightly curled around a cushion. Tooth and Sandy followed his gaze.

The sight of Jack, who they had last seen in such a tense, terrified, dark place, now completely relaxed and content in slumber was jarring. None of them could bear to make a move towards his resting location.

Glancing up from his work, Phil noticed their upright forms and approached, talking in yetish- but his words slowed into silence as he saw the broken looks and lack of reaction all around. He glanced at Baby Tooth, hovering over his furry shoulder.

Now would probably be a good time to wake Jack up.

The tiny fairy zipped over to the sleeping face, chirping softly in his ear and rubbing a miniscule hand on his cool skin. It was barely a moment later when dark lashes lifted from pale cheeks and Jack smiled at Baby Tooth. She gave him a worried expression and glanced over her shoulder at the Guardians, and the winter spirit bolted up, earning a startled jolt from everyone but Bunny, who remained completely still and curled in on himself.

Jack was horrified to see tear tracks on all their faces, and even more alarmed when they broke eye contact and seemed to hunch further inward.

This was way worse than he had imagined- had it really been that bad or shocking?! Of course it was, they probably felt so _judged_ and _insulted_ by what he had been thinking.

He jumped to his feet and rushed to explain.

"Whoa, whoa, I know that was totally messed up, but before you get more upset- I think… I think you need to see the rest. That was a _really_ bad stopping point."

Silence. None of them were even remotely interested in reliving more of… _that_. The yawning void that constantly pursued him as he ghosted through life Unseen. The relentless loneliness and sense of worthlessness that tugged him back and forth from desperate action to defensive apathy as he could neither forget his desire for companionship nor achieve it. And the surprise twist of his fear of them- their judgment and their intentions towards him- that he fought against with anger and resentment and criticisms hidden behind a faux smile. Tooth marveled that she had ever thought this would be _fun_. Jack's next words broke through her self-critical haze a little.

"We did end up here together in the end, remember?" Jack gave them a hopeful smile and tried not to feel discouraged when their faces and posture didn't change. He clenched his hands together, anxiety for his new friends rushing through him.

"Look, I know a lot of what I thought was wrong. Totally wrong. I realized that once I got to know you guys even a little bit. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that."

North gave a shaky sigh, closing his eyes in pain. "You are not one to apologize for conclusion jumping to us, Jack."

Tooth sniffed and swallowed. "And you _weren't_ wrong. Not really. Not about… about the children. And us."

As Sandy signed a face with X's over the eyes, Tooth nodded. "Totally blind."

"We have not kept Oath in way it was meant to be," North concluded.

Bunny remained silent and inert. Very, very unlike himself.

Jack was worried and confused- they thought his warped thinking had been correct? He knew better now- that they were not cruel, but kind, generous and self-sacrificing. He knew their intentions had been good, even if the execution at the time was a little off.

As he looked at the way grief seemed to have settled on their forms, he could only conclude one thing: his own thoughts and feelings that they had experience directly must have rubbed off somewhat, and stuck with them even after the memory was over. They couldn't really be questioning themselves, right? Because he certainly didn't, not once he learned the truth.

_This is bad. Really bad._ There was no Wonder or Hope or anything happy here. This was a time for Memories, not just Fun. Resolved, he walked quietly over and rested a hand on Tooth's shoulder. Argh, he _hated_ to see her crying.

"Ask to see how I got to _really_ know you." His tone and words were at their gentlest. As she bit her lip, he grinned. "You're all still lying on the floor, anyway."

Whether it was a sob or chuckle that escaped her, the violet eyes did brighten slightly and she rested her hand over Jack's. She could do this. For him. They all could.

"Jack," inhale, "How did you get to really know us?"

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_The transition into the memory seemed much smoother this time, easing from the white to a world full of additional senses and feelings as if waking from a dream into crisp reality. The Guardians braced themselves and remained silent._

At least North wasn't tossing him through a magic portal. Apparently he was content with the more conventional (and preferred) method of simply walking him out. Which was great, because with the ordeal now (apparently) behind him and his freedom in proverbial sight, a little scenic detour through Santa's workshop was a definite high note to end on. Jack had accepted his fate. And he planned to simply enjoy it as much as he could. It's what he'd been doing for 300 years, after all. The additional clarity he had gained today didn't change much really, he reflected.

He was feeling a little bad about being so harsh on them (well, maybe not Bunny), especially if they were just following the Man in the Moon's orders. His mood was a little more charitable now that the whole thing was over. North, though oblivious and pushy today, had always been a bright spot in Jack's memory, and he didn't want to leave on bad footing and motivate the Guardian to make their rare encounters even more rare. As they descended in an elevator, Jack tried to smooth things over a bit.

"Nothing personal, of course. What you all do, it's just, it's not my thing."

"Man in Moon says it _is_ your thing."

Hm, maybe North _was_ still sore about Jack's rejection… the thought barely registering in his mind as his senses went into overload with all the _cool stuff and fun things and activity and color and toys_ that came into sight as they moved away from the elevator.

"Slow down, would ya?! I've been trying to bust in here for years, I want a good look!" Jack couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"What do you mean, bust in?" Huh, North really didn't know.

"Oh, don't worry, I never got past the yetis." And look who was standing right there! "Oh hey Phil." Yup, the yeti was still annoyed at the arrangement they had. Too bad, he thought with satisfaction.

"Keep up, Jack, keep up."

This was amazing! The _yetis_ were making _toys_! He had always thought they were just security and operational management. But this was way better- on each work desk was some of Jack's own permanent ice that North had sculpted, and the large furry creatures were delicately crafting replicas, surprisingly careful in their efforts. So many _fun_ looking things everywhere, he just wanted to explore them all… He imagined for a moment what it would be like to receive one as a gift, but immediately shut that thought down before it was fully formed. Best not to dwell on it.

"I always thought the elves made the toys?"

"We just let them believe that." At the large Guardian's whisper, Jack couldn't help grinning as a small group of elves decorated- and electrocuted- a member of their group. "Very nice, keep up good work!"

This was hilarious, North was one funny leader. And watching the Guardian correct a yeti on paint coloring and seeing that he was as blind to that creature's frustration as he had been to Jack's, somehow made him feel better.

Jack's imagination went into overdrive at the sheer possibilities for mischief that this combination of elves, yetis, jolly boss and massive factory presented… oh he was _definitely_ sneaking back in here. Now that North had officially 'invited' him in, there was no keeping him out.

And then North led him through a doorway that was… not an exit? But the room it revealed was _fascinating_. At least half of the chamber was made of ice and snow. Instead of clearing it away, North had worked with it, sculpted it, made it part of the defining character of this place- it practically sang with life and purpose. This living Winter resonated deeply within him, and he could see bright memories and moonlight and energy woven into every crystal and flake. There was a multitude of the permanent ice sculptures which had been worked to harness the magic in the material, capturing ideas and intentions and giving form to the shape and movement of those ideas.

Was this North's office? What did that mean- why was he showing it to him?

"Fruitcake?"

He was trying to be hospitable before he showed him the door? Nice, but not necessary, big guy. Shouldn't be eating this week, anyway.

"Uh, no thanks."

Pfft, did he just throw that thing?

Jack's focus and confusion sharpened, however, as North cracked his knuckles and spoke seriously.

"Now we get down to tacks of brass."

What… did that mean? Goodbye?

As the door slammed behind him and locked, he crossed that option off the list. Turning back to North he felt a spike of fear at the intense look and intimidating stalking that was quickly erasing his personal space. Before he could remember his own rule about showing weakness, he found his back pressed to the door, his eyes wide and heart hammering.

Okaaaay, apparently this wasn't over. Round 1 was Bunny. And North was going to provide a powerful Round 2. Jack bit down on a stab of genuine disappointment.

"Who ARE you, Jack?"

N-nobody?

Oh wait, what did North _want_ him to say? A Guardian? NOT a Guardian?

Depending on what the point of all this was. A moment before he had been under the impression that they were dismissing him: point proven and lesson learned, not a Guardian- no need to carry on with the 'trick' charade that was meant to teach him this. Or for the alternative possibility that they _had_ been serious about him joining on Manny's orders, he thought they had accepted his rejection of their demanding, unappealing offer (in fact, in this scenario they were probably secretly relieved, as Bunny pointed out).

It was _still_ unclear, though- which of these games was the Moon playing, and were the Guardians themselves even aware? Were they wanting him to claim he _was_ or undeniably _wasn't_ a Guardian?

He wished North would just speak plainly, this game had long ago ceased to be _fun_.

"What is your Center?" North practically growled.

Apparently _that_ wasn't going to happen. Recovering himself, he pushed back verbally in frustration.

"My _Center_?"

"If Man in Moon chose you to be Guardian, you must have something very _special_ inside."

OK, first of all: Personal. Space.

Second, _special_? He scoffed. No. But he guessed the conclusion that they _did_ want him to be a Guardian was the accurate one? Or… this was more reverse psychology? Argh, this was too confusing. Jack gave up. _Just see where this is going… play along_. He mentally sighed.

But then... there _was_ something tugging at him, telling him to pay attention, to listen… _something_ about North's earnestness. Complete and honest. His full focus, both gentle and adamant, made Jack think maybe the older spirit was somehow _genuinely_ trying to _help_ him. To show him something important. Maybe North knew something Jack didn't that would make things... better somehow? For some reason the numbness eased slightly and he found himself trying to follow and understand the lesson, as North got out a wooden nesting doll.

_A prickling feeling, similar to the sensation of warmth being rubbed back into cold hands, eased through North's heart as Jack was finally able to open up- just a crack- to the real intentions behind his host's actions._

"Here, this is how you see me, no? Very big, intimidating. But if you get to know me a little," North thrust the doll into his hands, "Well, go on."

North's conviction that this was going somewhere was clear, so Jack warily set aside his staff and followed the large man's prompt to open the wooden figure. Jack wondered if North remembered their bonding over a Matryoshka doll a previous time, when he was a new spirit a few centuries ago. The memory was precious to Jack, and made him want to try to please this holiday protector he had once looked up to. Besides, this was kind of like a guessing game, it _could_ be fun...

_North sighed as he realized that this memory Jack referred to, with the Matryoshka doll in his early years, was obviously another forgotten one for North… he was anxious to get them back so he could understand the full reality of his relationship with the winter boy._

Seeing the first doll inside, Jack had to smile. "You are downright jolly?"

"But not just jolly!" As he continued opening the next sections, the winter sprite made a real effort to follow North's 'teaching'. Things aren't as they seem? Appearances are deceiving? Learn a little more about people before judging? "I am also mysterious. And fearless. And caring… and at my Center…"

Out popped… something that didn't seem to fit the rest of the series.

"There's… a tiny wooden baby." Jack rubbed his head wearily- he was tired of trying to decipher unclear intentions and messages. Why was he doing this, again?

"Look closer. What do you see?"

Trying not to get discouraged or give up on the challenge, Jack did look closer. "You have big eyes…?"

"YES!" That was it, he got it right!? "Big eyes, VERY big eyes, because they are _full_ of Wonder." For a few moments there were no thoughts at all, just an awareness of North's large, warm hands wrapped around his shoulders. Gentle and safe and confusing. The world normalized as he was released, and Jack had to smile at the enthusiasm of his 'teacher' as he continued his explanation. Frustrating as this beating around the bush was, he liked that North was trying to help him figure it out on his own, and that the Guardian seemed to care so much about helping him understand. Like he was worth the attention.

_North's heart ached and he wished he could break into the memory and wrap the boy up in a hug that would erase all doubts about that for the next 300 years, at least. No words needed to accompany the emotions from the other Guardians to tell North they would join him._

"That is my Center. It is what I was born with, eyes that have always seen the Wonder in _everything_. Eyes that see lights in the trees and magic in the air!" As they moved back out into the hallway and Jack once again took in the glory of North's amazing factory, these words were beautifully illustrated in every detail of the place and his creations. Jack found himself stepping closer to the Christmas Guardian, realizing he didn't want quite as much personal space as he had a few minutes before. "It is what I put into the world, and what I protect in children. It is what makes me a Guardian."

Oh.

Jack stared back down at the little doll in his hand. _A Guardian_. That's how this all tied back.

"It is my Center."

He could see it now- whether the intention was to truly encourage Jack to be one of them or to show him he wasn't, North was using his own example to demonstrate how to think about it.

"What is yours?"

He was either showing the younger spirit that he thought Jack had a special 'Center', too, even if he wasn't good enough to be a Guardian like them. That Jack could still find his own way in the world, and that was okay.

Or showing that he understood it would be hard to change, but trying to help Jack figure out how to fit their Guardian mold, by applying this 'Center'. Maybe… maybe he could? For a moment Jack _believed_ , against his own instincts that challenged Their Way. He was beginning to think it _could_ be that they actually _did_ want him to join them, as daunting as that was.

But Guardian or no, like the best lessons, it left Jack with more questions than answers. Because he really… couldn't answer North's query. What _was_ he? What did he _do_ for the world and its children, other than entertain a few of them?

His previous confidence faded somewhat. He would do things 'his way,' huh? What _was_ that, even?

"I don't know."

The insecurity was eased somewhat by North's kind look as his massive hand closed Jack's thin fingers around the tiny doll, a gesture of confidence that he would figure it out. Jack couldn't help feeling both vulnerable and grateful as he smiled slightly up at North.

_Sandy sent North an approving mental pat on the shoulder. Tooth also chimed in, voice carrying her relief and affection, "He was so_ confused _. But you helped him see that that was alright and he could figure it out. Helped him keep trying._ Thank you _, North."_

The moment was over, however, when Bunny hopped up and told them there was something wrong at the Tooth Palace. Jack could see the real concern in the Pooka's expression and it gave him pause- he remembered that look from long ago, and it made him remember that Bunny did, in fact, care deeply about certain things, even if Jack wasn't one of them.

Still, this was _his_ cue to depart. Besides… better to leave before he was too tempted. The idea of belonging to this group was sounding slightly less bad, but he didn't want to forget why that was _not_ a good idea. He had been nothing but confused this whole time, and North's kindness was hard to resist. It would be so easy to just pretend and go along with it.

But as their recent conversation had just pointed out, he didn't know what they _really_ wanted, let alone what he himself was or how he was useful- he just had years of anecdotes. He didn't know how they fit together. And to be perfectly honest… he didn't think he could be what the Guardians would want him to be, even if he did decide to do things differently.

And he _wasn't_ going to just pretend.

But then North grabbed his shoulder and started marching "To the sleigh!" obviously intending for Jack to come along. After a few steps distracted by the touch, Jack shook his head.

Ohhh no, this was _not_ his deal, and he _remembered_ North's sleigh. No, thank you.

But the big guy wouldn't listen, so Jack's protests continued as they marched into what appeared to be an ice tunnel filled with bustling yetis and elves.

"I told you, I'm not going with you guys! There's no way I'm climbing into some rickety old… sleigh."

Massive doors were opening and Jack could already tell this wasn't what he had been expecting. When had the reindeer gotten so _huge_ , and when had the sleigh become so AWESOME!? There were levers and gears and rockets and a navigation globe that told the story of powerful machinery expertly applied to make this vehicle fast and very fun to drive. As the glossy wings and runners snapped into place and the benches in the back popped out, objections were completely overruled in Jack's mind and there was only one conviction left: he _had_ to try this thing out.

"OK, one ride, but that's it." He hopped into the back and could already feel the tingle of excitement beginning to travel up from his toes as he began inspecting the details of the sleigh up close as North and Bunny bantered.

And as they took off down the tunnels made of ancient ice with its own mysteries and laughter, it was _so_ very worth it. No more complicated lessons or life decisions. Once again, he was just Jack Frost. On the rollercoaster ride of his life. Made all the more perfect by the fact that Bunny seemed to hate it. North was a crazy mad GENIUS!

_They could feel the old reckless abandon return and the blinding flare of joy- of Fun- radiating through him, making everything bright and alive again. And as that combined with awe when they shot into the air and the arctic landscape spread out beneath them, Bunny looked past the despair he was struggling with and found even he, in that moment of Jack's happiness, loved the sleigh._

Ooo, idea!

"Hey Bunny, check out this viewwhooooa!" Jack let Wind carry him off the back of the sleigh and flip him right up beneath it moments later.

The wind rider snickered as he hopped onto the runner beneath the sleigh. The Pooka was probably even more nervous after watching someone get blown overboard. It would be fun to see how he would react. Maybe he wouldn't care, or maybe he'd be grateful Jack was no longer riding with them, or maybe...

At first he was a bit surprised that Bunny seemed upset Jack had gotten whisked away. Then he couldn't help assuming a delighted smirk and super casual pose when the rabbit mustered up the courage to peek over and see what had become of him.

"Aww. You _do_ care."

He _was_ teasing, but a small part of him was also grateful for the concern, when he had expected to be ignored.

"Aw, rack off, ya bloody show pony!"

Yes! Grumpy Bunny was fun!

_At the moment, Bunny didn't mind this thought even a little. In fact, he was shocked that Jack had wanted to engage with him at all after their last 'discussion,' and was immensely relieved that he had not ignored Jack when he pulled this little stunt. Immensely relieved he hadn't reinforced the message that Jack was invisible, inconsequential and unwanted._

North took them through the portal to the Tooth Palace, and suddenly the air was swarming with black… things. Jack could feel the way they moved through the air, an unnatural and unsettling spirit presence, darting and twisting in bizarre movements. He could hear the little fairies before he could quite see them.

As they came close enough, he could see disturbing skeletal black horses consuming the smaller spirits and a shock of horror ran through him.

"They're taking the tooth fairies!"

He jumped from the sleigh, horror now overshadowed by anger at the violence towards these gentle little beings who had always been appreciative and kind to Jack when they had happened to pass him. He snatched the only one in reach from the jaws of an approaching beast and dropped back into the flying vehicle, cradling her.

"Hey little baby tooth, you OK?"

He smile in encouragement and felt a warm glow at her brave smile and nod in return. He found her mismatched eyes- both bright, one purple like her mistress, one as blue as Jack's own- strangely endearing.

_Tooth felt a flood of adoration for the winter spirit as he not only saved her little one, but cherished her. And she had never thought of it before, but what a charming thing for Jack to think when noticing Baby Tooth's unique eyes._

As they entered the mountain, Jack wasn't sure if he was more impressed with the extraordinary hanging palace or the sleigh's ability to navigate in such tight and twisting quarters.

"Here, take over!" Jack was shocked and delighted when North handed him the reigns. The Guardian was trusting _him_ to drive his sleigh?! Alright! His fondness for the man went up exponentially at both the FUN and North's implied confidence in him. He didn't care at this particular moment that he was definitely getting sucked into their team thing...

Then his heart fell in self-disappointment when he became distracted by the discovery of black sand and stolen teeth and he nearly crashed the flying vehicle. _Really?_ North had asked him to do _one thing_ , and he messed it up?! Typical.

But these thoughts flashed by in an instant and were quickly banished once he saw Tooth and her distress. As the other three Guardians rushed to her side, consoling, Jack stayed below, not wanting to intrude in the delicate moment as an outsider. He smiled as Baby Tooth buzzed out of his hoodie and flew over to her queen, glad he could bring a little consolation from afar.

As he watched their reunion, a smooth and seductive voice Jack distantly recognized suddenly seemed to resonate from every surface.

"I have to say, this is very, very exciting. The Big Four, all in one place. I'm a little star struck. Did you like my show on the globe, North? Got you all together… didn't I?" The gloating in the Pitch's voice as he appeared was mean rather than playful, Jack decided. He didn't like it.

Wait, wait.

They really weren't kidding about the Boogeyman?! Did this mean… whoa!

They really _were_ trying to recruit him! After all, why would the Moon or the Guardians bother trying to teach nobody Jack Frost a _lesson_ if they were dealing with a much bigger threat?

With that realization, everything snapped into place. The offer became more tantalizing- because it was _real_ and they weren't going to use his acceptance against him. And it became more terrifying- because it was tempting him intensely, but would change him, what he believed in doing. And he couldn't banish this expectation that he would fail terribly, anyway… Because what would change by simply adopting the title of Guardian? They didn't understand what it was like to be him, didn't know what he was capable of, what he had _done_ , and how often he messed up. But they _would_ eventually and then it would all be over. Why had _he_ been chosen, anyway?

_They could only guess what he had been through, living invisibly under the veil this whole time, a new spirit with no guidance and no one to look out for him. But it wasn't hard to imagine that he would have made mistakes in his ignorance, and with no reassurance from anyone, internalized the guilt and let it eat away at his self-esteem until he couldn't see his own worth._

_Even before this trip into his memories, they had seen his unconsciously expressed self-loathing. It was there in the little things he said, with a smile that made it worse._

Gaining someone's trust and acceptance was a terrible thing. He would come to care about it, but would then lose it and be much worse off than before. And other than the staff in his hand and the wind at his back, Jack had always lost everything he gained. Always.

_Sandy's thoughts towards the others were strong and forceful, and though there were no words, the meaning was crystal clear._

_They needed to pull out of their own guilt and depression and BE. THERE. For Jack. Right now they were all he had, and he should not have to face losing them to the pain of the past._

Pitch had continued to taunt them as Jack was thinking through these details, but the winter spirit's attention snapped back to the present when North demanded to know Pitch's intentions.

"Maybe I want what _you_ have. To be _believed_ in."

Jack's heart lurched in his chest. Pitch… Pitch was like _him_?

_North scowled. Of course Jack would have felt this way, but… he didn't like that the lonely winter spirit was even in the position to draw the comparison between them, and empathy with Pitch was potentially dangerous. The boy was already so vulnerable and confused at this point. North was actually grateful that Pitch had pointedly brushed Jack off throughout this whole thing, had been too short-sighted to recognize an opportunity to manipulate. He felt a brief appreciation for the veil in this one instance. It made him wonder even more, however, about how Jack had gotten tangled up with the Boogeyman later during the Easter fiasco._

The winter elemental flinched at the sensation of the dark spirit shifting the air as he sunk from a physical presence to a shadow and back again. This interaction with the element was like having a bug crawling on him in one place, then losing it for awhile until it suddenly skittered over his skin in a new location.

_The Guardians had thought Pitch's shadow act was creepy on its own, but this additional natural awareness was nauseating._

"Maybe I'm tired of hiding under beds!" Pitch's resentment was thick and accusatory in his tone.

"Maybe, that's where you belong!" Bunny retorted.

So... Pitch didn't know where he belonged, either. Jack's empathy for the Boogeyman only grew as Bunny rejected him.

_Bunny's anxiety ratcheted up a couple notches as he realize he had basically set Pitch up perfectly for Jack to relate to. Thank goodness the Nightmare King hadn't picked up on it..._

"Hang on. Is that… Jack Frost?" Looks like Pitch wasn't much better at remembering him than anyone else.

He wasn't sure what to do, with Pitch still in the shadows but focusing on him. He felt very vulnerable, but given the way this conversation was going, he kind of wanted to give Pitch a chance to make his case. He had never known Pitch was also desperate for companionship and purpose. If there was another spirit like Jack, who wanted to be believed in but couldn't… Maybe he knew another way? Or could figure it out?

_There was just something about it that made Sandy deeply angry, that Jack had received the same plight Pitch had, but without cause. Jack hadn't deserved the isolation, and his intentions were consistently good. Pitch, on the other hand, created his own problems and it was a triumph of higher enlightenment when_ he _was ignored. And Sandy knew very well that Jack's perception that their_ desires _were also the same was highly inaccurate._

The mocking laughter ended with an amused question. "Since when are you all so chummy?"

"We're not." It was technically the truth, and Jack wanted Pitch to feel like he had an audience who was willing to listen.

"Oh good." Air shifted, and he spun around to face it. "A neutral party. Then, I'm going to ignore you. But, you must be used to _that_ by now." He didn't have to guess how Pitch knew of his constant attempts and desire to be Seen. And he tried to ignore it but it still stung, that even someone who knew what this felt like saw him as inconsequential.

Jack's disappointment that Pitch had brushed him off shifted to astonishment when Bunny pulled him back, dashed in front of him and attacked the Boogeyman. The Pooka had probably just gotten tired of waiting, it likely had nothing to do with defending Jack… but it was still nice to be lifted out of a put down by someone else striking out against the insulter.

_Bunny actually remembered that moment clearly. Earlier that evening, after North had left with Jack, Tooth had had some firm words for the rabbit, Sandy hovering beside her looking stern. But Bunny hadn't needed it- the moment Jack had failed to respond to his barb, his face shifting ever so slightly and unable to quite mask the hurt, he knew he had gone too far. He didn't pretend to know what Jack's life had been like, but he had known the sprite was constantly striving for attention. Word got around, especially in Spring circles. Unlike most spirits, Jack wanted recognition from humans- children in particular. That's why he knew those insults would be effective._

_Too effective, though. And so he had worried to himself, and debated whether he should say anything. But then they were under attack, and it was all about aiding Tooth. Until that moment when Pitch- who Bunny hoped he never resembled in any way- touched the same sore nerve the proud rabbit had already rubbed raw and painful just an hour earlier. He could see it in Jack's body language even from behind, the way he shifted his feet and recoiled slightly as if struck. And the grey warrior felt the lash of guilt, and something else as he looked down at the slender boy. He wanted to shove Jack behind him and punch Pitch in that cruel mouth._

But Pitch did his creepy shadow thing and reappeared on a higher platform, an angry boomerang-wielding fairy warrior close on his tail, and it went from annoying to actually scary when one of the giant black horses lunged for her. As Baby Tooth flew back into his hood, Jack gripped his staff tighter, instantly willing to attack if aggression escalated toward either fairy.

As Pitch gloated about his corruption of dreamsand, Jack began to loose any patience he had previously had with the Boogeyman. The beautiful glowing gold strands that always created happy rest for the children and comforting moments for Jack- moments when the music came so easily- being used for fear and intimidation sickened him.

And then Jack heard a story he hadn't before. A story of the Dark Ages, long before he had been born.

"Ah, the Dark Ages. Everyone frightened, miserable- such happy times for me. Oh, the _power_ I wielded! But then the _Man in the Moon_ chose _you_ to replace my fear with your _wonder_ and _light_. Lifting their hearts and giving them _hope_. Meanwhile everyone wrote me off as just a bad dream. Oh, there's nothing to be afraid of, there's no such thing as the Boogeyman! Well that's all about to change."

_That_ was Pitch's way? Make people so _afraid_ they'd believe? He had known the shadowy spirit was creepy, but not _this_ dark. It wasn't companionship and purpose Pitch wanted, it was fear and power- essentially destruction of what _Jack_ wanted.

But perhaps the more important realization was that he had completely underestimated the larger role the Guardians played in the world. This was… this was much bigger, much more important than he had originally thought. This wasn't just about being believed in. This was REALLY protecting children, somehow shielding them from fear and darkness. He thought of North's explanation- _he put Wonder into the world_ \- and felt ashamed for his earlier words degrading the Guardians.

"Oh, look, it's happening already."

Jack looked around, disturbed, as the palace itself seem to begin disintegrating. "What is?"

Tooth's expression filled him with dread for the answer.

"Children are waking up and realizing- the Tooth Fairy never came. It's such a little thing… but to a _child_ …" Pitch rubbed it in with dark glee.

Jack flinched at the thought of all those heartbroken children. But their immediate surroundings… he couldn't quite describe it, but it was like the energy and harmony of the place was growing fainter, leaving a sad emptiness behind in the stone and the pools of water and the very air itself. "What's going on?"

"They… they don't believe in me anymore." Seeing this fairy, recently so happy, vibrant, strong and kind, overcome by sorrow struck him as _very_ wrong- downright painful.

But what did believing have to do with what was happening to the palace? He was beginning to get a suspicion as he looked up at Pitch with narrowed eyes.

"Didn't they tell you, Jack? It's GREAT being a Guardian. But there's a catch. If enough kids stop believing, everything your friends protect- wonder, hopes and dreams- it all goes away."

Jack stared at the Guardians as if seeing them for the first time. These beings he had so quickly rejected, they-

"And little by little, so do they." Jack looked with disgust at Pitch's happy tone. The implications were staggering. He could hear his heartbeat hammering in his ears as Pitch continued.

"No more Christmas, or Easter, or little fairies that come in the night. There will be nothing, but fear and darkness and _me_." Jack was frozen, mind racing through all the implications of the picture this painted and the sheer scope of the threat.

He had been so willing to judge, as the frustration with his isolation and invisibility grew year after year with his inability to replicate what the Guardians had achieved. And now, when what he had scorned was threatened, he realized with incredulous shock how... _wrong_ he had been.

Obviously there was a strong symbiotic relationship between the Guardians and the children of the world. They were tied inextricably to each others' well-being. What the Big Four did- HOW they did it- was incredibly important to the children- _all_ children, just as North had said when Jack had been too angry and suspicious to listen. There was a _reason_ for Their Way. And they were risking _everything_ to achieve it, even their own existence. They had a very important responsibility, it _wasn't_ a purely self-serving impulse to be believed in.

As he began to imagine what it would be like for the children if the Guardians stopped Their Way, it made a painful impact. This was _beyond_ _terrible_.

In light of this new context, _he_ was the selfish one by comparison. All he thought about was _having fun_ with children.

_The moments when Pitch outlined this depressing future had been awful at the time, but the Guardians now found themselves grateful for Pitch's thorough and timely explanation. It was quite ironic that Pitch's appearance was the final piece of evidence Jack had needed to believe in the sincerity of their invitation. And it was even more so that the Nightmare King's own triumphant explanation of his vision was what had driven Jack away from him, helped Jack escape his misunderstandings and pulled him into the beginnings of appreciation for and alignment with the Guardians. The Boogeyman had chosen the perfect timing to make an example of himself- evil and threatening to the children Jack cared for- that allowed the Guardians to stand out as shining stars by contrast. Pitch himself had formed the alliance between Jack and the Guardians._

_They almost wished Pitch was watching this, too, and realizing he had just sealed his own doom with his first move out of the gate._

"It's _your turn_ not to be believed in."

_That_ shouldn't be wished on anyone, certainly not the Guardians. Jack felt pure gratitude towards Bunny when he took the initiative to attack with this boomerang. He was coming to recognize this habit of the rabbit's, to attack first, especially when defending his team.

As the Guardians jumped from the platform in pursuit of Pitch, Jack only hesitated for one shell-shocked moment before he followed, intent on helping however he could, even if he wasn't really one of them. But the dark spirit was gone before they landed.

As North, Bunny and Sandy began talking strategy, Jack's attention was caught by a very good but very sad person sitting alone and defeated, having just lost everything. He didn't think he could do much at this point, but he could at least be there for her- so she didn't have to be alone at a moment like this.

Jack crouched down, almost tempted to reach out a hand. "I'm sorry about the fairies."

"You should have seen them. They put up such a fight." He felt terrible she had had to face that on her own- her home invaded and the helpers she cared for taken. And that wasn't all that was taken.

"Why would Pitch take the teeth?" In fact, why did the fairy keep the teeth once the exchange with the children was completed?

"It's not the teeth he wanted. It's the memories inside them." _This_ was news. Memories in teeth?

"What do you mean?"

"That's why we collect the teeth, Jack. They hold the most important memories of childhood."

You know, _maybe_ if he had _listened_ to her when she had been _trying_ to explain about what they _did_ instead of _criticizing_ them, he would not keep getting surprised by every little detail about how important they were. Well, he was going to listen now! He followed her across the water, freezing it as he went, listening to her continued explanation.

"My fairies and I watch over them. And when someone needs to remember what's important, we help them. We had everyone's here..."

Looking up at the painting of Tooth, receiving and protecting these 'memories', he realized nothing he had ever done was this significant. What did he know about protecting children? Certainly nothing at the scope of what these Guardians did. Anything he could do on a large scale tended to be destructive rather than productive.

And the loss of this important service to the children… it was-

"Yours, too." He felt her hand on his shoulder, a precious, _real_ touch, but it still took a moment for him to pull away from his dread-filled thoughts.

"My memories?"

"From when you were young. Before you became Jack Frost."

What was she saying? His earliest memory was coming out of the ice and the Moon telling him he _was_ Jack Frost. He remembered the confusion and loneliness of that first night well. There was _nothing_ before that. Did she think he was something he wasn't? Her assumption made him feel a bit inadequate, and he hurried to correct her.

"But… I wasn't anyone before I was Jack Frost."

"Well of course you were. We were all _someone_ before we were chosen."

She was calm and certain, and she _had_ said she had his teeth from… _before_.

He had been someone _before?_

His whole 'life' he had never even considered… he didn't- how could this-

"What?" The knowledge that there had been _something else_ and he had potentially forgotten everything was like realizing he had a giant hole in himself. A sense of sorrow and outrage at the loss ghosted through him, like a memory itself. But… but it also meant...

"You should have seen Bunny!" North laughed and the rabbit chastised him. Confirming Tooth's story.

"That night at the pond, I just, I- I assumed… are you saying I had a life before that? With- with a HOME? And a FAMILY?!"

His heart was aching and bleeding and falling and floating and choking him at the thought- was it possible he had once _had_ everything he ever wanted?! All the questions and vulnerabilities and grief from a 300-year lifetime washed over him and it finally started to make some _sense_. There was something- he could- it meant-

_The Guardians all remembered feeling sympathy for the anguished boy at the time, but it was nothing compared to actually experiencing the manic desperation in the thoughts and desires that flowed through him, feeding a long-withered hope… Jarring thoughts, cutting deep, echoes of centuries of the same unanswered anxieties. It was even more painful than experiencing his paranoia, despair and pain at their hands when they had tried to initiate him with no consideration for his perspective._

"You really don't remember?" She looked genuinely confused. Was he such a strange case?

Could this be what was missing, why he didn't know why he was here? He could feel the adrenalin coursing through every inch of his skin. Wellll, hadn't this just been a day of Jack-doesn't-know-anything-about-the-most-importan t-things- _ever_! This changed everything! He couldn't believe he never _knew_.

"All these years, these answers were right here…" His snuffed hope of finding purpose flashed into a brilliant white-hot flame, it's intensity mentally blinding. "If I find my memories, then I'll know why I'm here. You _have_ to show me!"

He flew around Tooth in his excitement then headed straight for the wall and started flying up, ready to get his teeth without having any clue where to look in this giant place. No idea where he was even going, just that he needed to _race_ there.

"I, I can't Jack. Pitch has them."

He didn't even for a single second consider that a road block, not compared to 300 years of useless searching with no leads. It was almost _funny_ , actually, that she looked so concerned about it!

"Then we have to get them back!" It was simple!

Tooth's sympathetic expression switched to shock as a handful of iridescent feathers detached from her body and began to float to the ground. Jack's crazed determination melted into worry for his companion.

"Oh no… the children," Tooth exclaimed as they watched the painting on the wall fall apart.

Right, of course, this was much bigger than Jack Frost. He had forgotten for a moment. The chaotic energy and thoughts simmered down as he focused outside of himself again. They needed to help the children and their protectors first.

"We're too late!" Tooth's cry shot a spike of fear through him- they _couldn't_ be, not _now_...

"No! NO!" North began swinging his swords in defiance. "No such thing as too late!"

Jack leaned forward, hoping, trying to figure out what North could be thinking.

"Wait, wait, wait wait wait wait. IDEA!" Hah, North was still North, determined and hilariously enthusiastic as he shoved a blade in Bunny's face, his glee unrestrained.

As North outlined his plan and the other Guardians surrounded their female team member with support, Jack was impressed by both the scope of what they were proposing and the unreserved encouragement and aid they offered Tooth. It was… really… really nice. They were a real team. Like a family.

Standing on his little cliff, the winter spirit was enjoying simply observing it. He took a deep breath, imagining he could absorb that warmth from here. He was just appreciating the return of Tooth's smile when suddenly their attention shifted to him.

"And, Jack, _if_ you help us, we will get you your memories." And there was that kind-knowing smile again. And Tooth's little laugh, Bunny's bewildered look, and Sandy's approving two thumbs up. He felt a little skip of joy in his chest at the familiarity of them.

He was very relieved that the large Guardian was no longer insisting he immediately become one of them, offering him a transactional approach instead- teeth for memories. Because after all this, Jack was pretty darn certain he wasn't cut out to do anything at the magnitude of what they did. Yet North was still giving him a way to help them- which of course he had been planning to do, anyway. And the prospect of his memories was a _very_ welcome bonus.

"I'm in."

_Tooth mentally smiled. "That was very cleverly done, North, I meant to tell you. Getting him to help us without pushing for a commitment. Giving him that room. If only we'd tried that approach to begin with…"_

_"Yes, but…" North hesitated a moment trying to think how to explain. "We saw memories as minor thing, but to Jack… was everything. To use as bargaining chip was maybe…"_

_The unspoken doubt was left hanging as the memory quickly transitioned to their tooth collection efforts and they were carried away by Jack's experience. It was actually fun to remember all the antics._

_The Guardians remembered being pulled into Jack's game, and enjoying it immensely as the first truly different and fun thing they'd done in a very long time. But being inside Jack took it to a whole different level._

It was quite possibly the best time he could remember _ever_ having, this playing with a team. He felt like he was part of something, so alive and hyper and entertained and just… happy. He even thought Bunny was a pretty great guy, the _first_ one to agree to play with him as they set out! Each new trick and move of the Guardians' was fascinating. The pain, self-loathing, horror and desperation, that had haunted him throughout the past day were completely out of sight, banished somewhere far away by the power of Fun.

_A handful of things stuck out to the Guardians._

_First, how very closely he watched them, and admired what they did. Tooth's effortless flying and easy intuition for where the teeth were, North's powerful pace and ability to fit through any chimney, Bunny's speed and ability to pop up literally anywhere, and Sandy's ability to match them all while just floating along and seizing opportune moments. They all delighted the boy with their variety as he observed them, fascinated. They felt how he was trying to adjust to everything, too- his thoughts focused on the fact that he had spent too many years at a distance, making assumptions about them from afar. Now, he wanted the truth, was open to understanding._

_Then, how creative he was in choosing his own methods- he was very clever about playing this game. It was just a different game from what the rest of them were playing. He ended up more focused on interacting with them than on the single goal of collecting teeth. He would frequently intentionally target a tooth that was already being handled by another Guardian, or where he thought they would show up next. Trying to anticipate and meet them._

_Finally, the gratitude that wasn't put into words in his thoughts, but was constantly there- gratitude for companionship. Gratitude that they were looking at him, talking to him. Gratitude that they were actually_ playing _with him. Gratitude that they were coming together to help the children._

_And the silence was long gone, too, an endless symphony filling the whole night in Jack's mind._

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_**Back in the present...** _

Phil was rather concerned.

First, the Guardians had woken up, apparently _traumatized_. Then, once they had gone back under, Jack was acting… eerily calm. He just sat on the floor, right in the middle of all his unconscious teammates, watching their faces for any sign of emotion, Baby Tooth tucked in his hood. His fingers were constantly moving slightly- tugging at his sleeves or running along his staff or curling and uncurling in the pillow he held in his lap- but other than that he was uncharacteristically still.

It almost startled the closely observing yeti when the boy leveraged himself swiftly to his knees, grabbed the cuff of his sleeve, and crawled to each Guardian, wiping any leftover tears quickly from their faces. As if he couldn't help himself, but didn't really think he should be so bold. His movements were jerky and distressed, but gentle. Remorse and tenderness were present in the lines of his face and the way he bit his lip. When he got to the furry ball that was Bunny, still tightly curled and face hidden, he hesitated. Then settled right beside him, one leg propped directly against the grey back. Thin white fingers reached out and gently began stroking the long ears. It was evident both Jack and the sleeping Bunny found this soothing, as both their tense postures relaxed gradually with the movements until Jack was lounging back against the other half of the Pooka's oversized pillow and the rabbit had uncurled enough for his face to become visible and his paws to flex out.

Phil smiled and was about to return to his duties, when he noticed with a jolt of alarm that a swirling darkness had begun to form on the floor beneath Jack. The yeti gave a startled cry and Jack barely had time to gasp and sit up before he was sucked down into it and both he and the vaporous portal vanished, leaving behind a stunned Phil, a distressed Baby Tooth and a wooden shepherd's crook, devoid of frost, spinning before it fell to the ground.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting a little more bearable?
> 
> Who took Jack?! HAH, none of you will guess, mwahaha. :P Seriously, go ahead and try, I want to see what you come up with. XD
> 
> I had to watch these "memories" moment by moment, pausing the DVD as I wrote each line and paragraph, and I have to say… Jude Law (Pitch's voice actor) really does have a super seductive cadence. I became a little obsessed…
> 
> I probably spent 25 hours getting this chapter right. *curled in a ball like Bunny* And I can't say it enough- thank you so so much to DragonflyonBreak for the exceptional BETAing. The improvements are all thanks to her.


	15. New Life: Revelation

* * *

_Italics_ **= What Guardians are experiencing/thinking**

Regular **= Jack's memory**

* * *

_-ROTG-_

Jack stared at the drawing on Jamie's wall. Excitement was in every crayon stroke and the winter spirit felt a slight sense of contentment. Even though Jack's form didn't appear in the picture, he still felt like he was _there_ , somehow.

"Left central incisor, knocked out in a freak sledding accident. I wonder how that happened, Jack." Her look was equal parts scolding and amused, and Jack couldn't help the teasing smile on his own face.

"Kids, huh?" He turned fully towards the fairy when her expression morphed into one of gentle regret as she hovered over Jamie's sleeping form. Jack could see how her eyes caressed the slumbering child, and he felt another stab of guilt at his previous assumption that the Guardians didn't actually care for the children.

"Mm. This was always the part I liked most. Seeing the kids." Her eyes was soft and mournful. As Jack stared up at the Tooth Fairy, he realized how strange is was that he had read her and the other Guardians _so wrong_. She knew exactly how he felt, how precious each child was and how vital it was to protect them. The regret in her tensed shoulders and the sorrow in her face and tone explained it eloquently. "Why did I ever stop doing this?"

Jack made a sound of thoughtful understanding. The fact that they were so overwhelmed with their jobs that they didn't have time to be with the children just seemed too sad. _Surely_ there was another way...

"It's a little different up close, huh?" He quietly encouraged.

_Tooth sighed with mixed feelings. Jack's growing sense of solidarity with them was definitely easing their anxiety, but his generosity in explaining away their faults and idealizing their behavior left her with a different kind of muted, squeamish frustration._

And then her clear eyes were on him, _seeing_ him. "Thanks for being here, Jack. I wish I'd known about your memory." It was so foreign, having someone completely there in the moment _with him_ , even _concerned_ for him. He couldn't help breaking eye contact as she flew closer and rested a small hand on his shoulder- not pulling back at the frost coating his hoodie, but actually tilting her head trying to capture his eyes again. "I could have helped you."

He couldn't pretend that the revelation about his memories didn't bother him, but he really didn't want _her_ to feel responsible for it. And it was… it was astonishing that the Tooth Fairy was worrying about _him_ when her very existence was in jeopardy. _That_ was what she should be focusing on- her own precious self.

"Yeah, well, look, let's just get you taken care of, then it's Pitch's turn." And then both their problems would be solved and everything would make sense and be alright again, he convinced himself.

And then the other Guardians arrived and it was back to the game as they compared their hauls. It was just so _fun_ that Bunny and North were meeting him move for move, really getting into it and playing to win- simple and honest as they treated him like a real playmate and competitor. When North's enthusiasm woke Jamie, it was like Jack was suddenly in one of his fantasies, as the boy was _seeing_ them. Was he imagining this? He could feel his pulse racing and his cheeks tingling at the possibility that...

Ah. Right.

It was a good thing he hadn't really given in to the moment of hope in that belief, as Bunny pointed out- not in a mean way, which was nice- that Jack was the exception to the happy dream. Because the reminder of his inability to achieve what he craved most combined with the reminder that, despite this happy night, he wasn't one of _them_ , would have probably hurt a _whole_ lot. Yeah, it was better not to hope in the first place.

Jack was able to pull himself from these uncharacteristically cynical thoughts yet again, when Bunny instructed Sandy to knock Jamie out. His little gesture, smacking his fist into his palm in preparation for a punch, struck Jack as brilliantly funny- just from having observed the little man with the others over the past few hours, he could tell the dream Guardian was teasing his companions, and Bunny fell for it hook, line and sinker. Man, Sandy had the best sense of humor.

_Sandy felt a rush of joy at the fact that even back then, Jack had understood him like this. He was so used to just self-amusement, every joke an inside joke with himself. The fact that he had a friend who shared in the silent humor_ with _him was truly blissful._

Jack's amusement ratcheted up several notches as Abby awoke, her eyes immediately glued on the large rabbit, ready to pounce. This is going to be _so great_!

As the Pooka tried to pretend he was in control, Jack rolled his eyes and saw the perfect opportunity. This'll wake everyone up, hah! He set off the alarm and hopped onto the nearby dresser to watch the chaos, grinning at the excitement he had caused, slipping back into his roll as observer of the world he indirectly interacted with.

Bunny began hopping wildly around the room, flight instinct stronger than fight, for once. North, Tooth and Sandy, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the furry racers, ended up in each others' way instead and unable to avoid Sandy's inadvertent dreamsand missile.

Jack was laughing in triumph over the scene he had caused, all the Guardians except Sandy sound asleep with comically characteristic shapes forming above their heads, when a couple of Nightmares peered in the window and then took off.

YES! This was it, a lead! He launched himself out the window in close pursuit. "Sandy, come on! We can find Pitch!"

It was still a game as Jack flew side-by-side with Sandy, enjoying their synchronized movement, every obstacle a new level. Sandy understood instinctively how to _play_ with him perfectly, and the joy of that effortless understanding blended perfectly with the music. Let's do this forever!

It was still a game when they split up and Jack froze his first Nightmare, surprised and delighted at his accomplishment. Distracted by his 'kill,' it startled him when Pitch showed up, but it was a _relief_. They could finally get somewhere now that they had found him.

It was an AWESOME game when Sandy got out his whips and DOMINATED, slamming the nightmare spirit into buildings and tossing him into the street. Sandy, you ROCK!

_Sandy couldn't help an affectionate smile at Jack's raw happiness in the dream Guardian's companionship and the boy's wild admiration. At the time, he himself had been struck by the ease and beauty of the wind rider's movements, the subtle power behind how he navigated both space and the objects around him. Sandy remembered how easy it had been in those moments together to open up to Jack's influence and experience a level of compatibility and joy he hadn't felt in ages. Literally._

It was still a game when the hordes of Nightmares surrounded them and Sandy grabbed him by the hoodie and blasted into the sky- it was just a game he was a little less familiar with and a little more cautious about. It became more fun as the other Guardians joined and he got to see their skill and figure out how to navigate the aerial battlefield with them.

_The Guardians were once again struck by the difference in how Jack experienced his surroundings, senses sharpened further by the tense situation. If you had asked him how the clouds were shifting or from which direction the wind would come next, he would have been able to tell you without thinking. But these independent beings flying around in the air with him, not driven by natural forces but by unique will, were hard to understand and follow. He was taking cues from their impact on the elements, but that didn't give him much indication about what they would do next._

_There were so many of them and they were all so fast. It was like there was a constantly shifting mental map of where everything was in any given moment, but it didn't help if he didn't know where to concentrate or focus._

_No wonder the kid was distracted, Bunny realized, he was AWARE of bloody everything._

When the staff was knocked from his hand for a moment, he felt the thrill of real fear as he not only fell, but was cut off from his ability to _use_ his powers- energy coiling inside him with no release and his connection to the elements suddenly distant. It wasn't the first time he had fallen without his staff, however, so the fear was easily replaced by focus and he managed to recover.

He grabbed his staff in the split second before he realized that North had angled the sleigh below him to stop his free fall, and the Nightmare he instantly realized was heading directly for him was in that same moment handily dispatched by Bunny's boomerang. He landed on the wing of the sleigh momentarily stunned.

Someone… someone had been there to catch him. And protect him. For a heartbeat, his mind was quiet- not the haunting, empty silence, but the hush of awe.

He couldn't help staring up at Bunny, who was standing in the sleigh with an assessing expression. Was he imagining the lack of hostility- maybe instead, _familiarity_ \- in the Pooka's tone as he warned the winter spirit to get out of the return path of his weapon? Or the smug but friendly teasing look as Bunny caught the boomerang that sliced through yet another Nightmare? So confident, he always seemed to know what to do... Jack blinked, his attention pulled back to the battle around them.

It was a _bad_ game as Jack noticed Sandy had been singled out and surrounded by writhing black sand, far from his teammates. That wasn't playing fair.

But it suddenly wasn't a game at all when Pitch drew a sinister looking black arrow and aimed for the dream weaver's back.

As the weapon flashed through the air and struck the golden Guardian, fear, fury and desperation destroyed anything else Jack had been feeling up to that point. He launched himself from the too-slow sleigh and begged Wind to push him faster to his friend's aid, uncaring if he was exposing himself by leaving the others behind.

_North remembered how very much he had_ hoped _Jack would get there in time._

_Bunny remembered hating the fact that he couldn't fly to help, and suddenly wanting to believe in Jack, his old friend's only hope._

_Tooth remembered the intense frustration as she was pushed back by Nightmares, cruelly holding her back as her fellow Guardian died._

_Sandy only remembered the pain and strength of fear trying to take him over, make him like the darkness, and his resolution to never give in to that fear, even while he knew he couldn't stop it's lethal spread. He knew with conviction that if he had accepted the darkness, he may never have been able to come back with just the belief of children, as powerful as that was._

But Jack… as the last of the golden light was snuffed out, something ripped itself out of him, and he didn't care- he was going to get there and it wasn't too late and if that giant wave of dark sand slammed into him it didn't matter if it ate him too because he'd be with Sandy.

Sandy who was kind to Jack.

Sandy who brought light to the dark places.

Sandy who helped protect and develop the amazing young minds of the world.

Sandy who could stand up to Pitch like the fiercest warrior.

Sandy who made him laugh, and could laugh without sound.

Sandy who played with cats and lonely winter spirits alike.

Sandy who _couldn't_ disappear from the world.

Sandy who...

Sandy...

Sandy.

And as that black wave of Nightmares swallowed him, the howling, blinding, infinitely yawning chasm he locked so tightly closed deep inside himself cracked open, power snapping out of him in a shockwave, and _Jack couldn't stop it_. One of the winter elemental's greatest fears lay buried in his very spirit, and was beginning to be unleashed.

_The Guardians could feel it, too, just past the torrent of grief. Jack was terrified of his own full power, immense and extremely difficult to control in anything but the smallest outlets. Reaching into that strange something they hadn't been able to name when they first connected with him, was like unlocking an overwhelming geyser of uncontrollable energy. He knew he would be washed away, blown away, lose himself completely in it. Just as Jack had struggled to understand how their magical abilities connected to their Centers, this kind of power was completely foreign to them, bewildered and shocking as it tried to shatter through what bound it._

As the self-terror threatened to swallow him, an unfamiliar new determination offered a guiding thought. Grief provided a laser focus and he knew- he could not fail. Hope, Dreams, Memories, Wonder. The world needed these. Children needed these. Jack needed these.

And NO ONE was going to take that away.

An almost unimaginable strength of will, part child, part centuries-old spirit, wrestled that power into something wieldable, pushing lightning flashes of ice power through the trusted staff conduit and slamming the vast bulk of it back in its chasm and sealing it again. It was the backlash of pulling the power _back_ that caused him to pass out for a moment as he fell from the sky. There was half a thought that it would take a lot of effort to heal after falling to the ground from this height, before the world went black. Next thing he knew, he was in Tooth's arms being gently lowered into the sleigh.

Someone had caught him. Again.

When they asked, he admitted he hadn't known he could do that- because it was the truth. Usually the staff just drew out the natural, safe trickle that was always flowing through him. He had never connected it with the chasm's power, but now that he had… perhaps he would be able to do it a little bit again without losing complete control. It was almost like flexing a newly discovered muscle.

Then as the reality of Sandy's demise sunk in, there was only silence. If the Guardians spoke, he didn't hear it, perched on the last bench of the sleigh, legs folded close to his chest, forehead on his knees.

_The memory itself was actually blurry at this point, just a strange long stretch of muted colors and that awful silence. There was a sense of pulling away from the others, knowing he'd failed them and recognizing more than ever that he didn't belong._

Things slowly came back into focus and Jack realized he was making little frost images of Sandy on one of North's windows, over and over as they melted from the heat inside once he released them from his power. And he just kept doing it, a strange, punishing reminder of his failure. After all, it wasn't OK if he let this Sandy disappear, too. Finally, he imbued a hint of permanent ice into the frost and watched it stick, laced with memories. There would always be a little Sandman figure there.

_Sandy mentally had his hands pressed to his mouth in distress. Jack had blamed himself? No. And why had he been left alone here?_

_"None of us were… OK, Sandy," Tooth murmured, remembering the pain._

_"Jack would not join ceremony. Only after did I understand why," North explained._

_"An' turns out we're not always the most observant lot, 'pparently," Bunny pointed out with a hint of self-deprecating sarcasm._

_Sandy could sense in their tones and emotions that none of these explanations were intended as an excuse, so he let it go for the moment._

Jack was aware of North coming his way, and audible sound seemed to return, replacing the unnatural mental silence.

"Are you alright?"

As North asked, Jack's response came almost without thought, the emotions so raw they had a voice of their own.

"I just… I wish I could have _done_ something." I am useless and now the unimaginably horrible has happened.

_A shockwave rippled through them at the bluntness of this thought._

" _Done_ something? Jack, you stood up to Pitch. You saved us."

As if that was _enough_? But they had lost S-

"But Sandy-"

"-would be _proud_ of what you did."

Jack couldn't really grasp that idea. He looked up into North's eyes. Kindness. Understanding. Strength. Conviction. Faith in the one he was looking at.

It made him feel a little better but also very _lacking_. Like North didn't really know him, like he should be giving that look to someone else, someone better… The grieving youth pushed his hood back and stood, moving away from the large man with his eyes and words that claimed Jack was more than he knew he was.

"I don't know who you were in your past life, but in this life, you _are Guardian_." A large hand enveloped his shoulder and turned him back to the words and looks, not letting Jack dismiss them, run from them, this time.

And in the absence of cluttered ideas, with only blunt emotions in play, came the summary conclusion of all the thoughts he had been filled with since emerging from a sack in this very room what seemed like a lifetime ago. Guardian. Center. Memories. Place and purpose in the world. All came down to one thing now.

"But how can I know who I am, until I find out who I _was_?"

"You will! I feel it." Jack looked down, wanting to adopt North's belief but finding it difficult, especially now. "In my belly." And just like that, a small tickle of laughter swirled around in his heart again, and graced his face with a brief smile.

_Sandy sent North a silent message of forgiveness and gratitude as Jack began to normalize somewhat._

_"Good on ya, mate," Bunny agreed._

North led him back to the rest of the group, and the emotional fog cleared further as Jack was reminded of the bigger consequence of losing Sandy- the children were losing belief, fear was taking hold. He looked at the Guardians. What did they do now?

A genuine fondness for Bunny flared up as the rabbit brought Hope back into the mix, asking for their help to make Easter extra special. As Jack landed beside them and finally stepped forward to _join_ them rather than keeping on the periphery, both Tooth and North looked down at him with acceptance and welcome. And for the moment, Jack chose to belong. They were going to need to stick together to defeat Pitch.

_They could feel the clear power of Bunny's Center as Jack shifted from grief and self-loathing to determination and a tentative acceptance of the bond between his companions. Tooth smirked at Bunny. "Good on ya, mate."_

After a little bantering and an exciting slide down a mossy tunnel that was over too soon, Jack stood in a place that was… stunning. He had always wanted to find the Warren, and now he regretted not having made more of an effort before.

He could feel the life, free and wild, flowing through his toes, filling the air, running through the water and the earth and the sunlight. This was _Spring_ as it was _meant to be_ , and the very best of it at that. Life as old as the Earth itself, both wise and eternally renewing, thrumming through every flower and bed of moss and tree root and butterfly. He glanced at his companions to see if they felt it too, but they seemed less impacted.

He was tempted to take off immediately and fly around, explore these tunnels and hills that presented the biggest and best maze _ever_ , simultaneously mysterious and full of light. He didn't begrudge Bunny's obvious pride in his home because… _wow_.

_Bunny was astonished. He had never once met another being who adored his Warren as much as he did. Even the other Spring spirits seemed to take it for granted, business as usual, a little messy compared to Sephi's garden. That a Winter sprite would be the one to truly understand the splendor and raw majesty of his home was a shock of the greatest magnitude._

_He could even feel the thrill of North, Sandy and Tooth as they felt what Jack had experienced. Their delighted wonder._

_The Pooka was deeply touched to have others truly appreciate something he loved so much. To understand, even a little, what he was, what he tried so hard to protect._

_He actually chuckled mentally as Jack's thoughts went on guard against the terrible monster that had apparently invaded the Warren…_

"Sophie?"

And then Jack was laughing inside as the Guardians stood paralyzed in the face of little Sophie Bennett of all things. As Bunny turned to him for help, he had an idea…

"Huh, don't look at me, I'm invisible, remember?" Time for these silly grown ups to actually _engage_ with a child.

"Don't worry, Bunny, I bet she's a fairy fan!" Jack was not surprised that Tooth rose enthusiastically to the challenge- she was awesome that way.

And then she was offering the child teeth with- with what?! He chuckled. Poor Sophie.

"Blood and gums?" Looks like it was time to give them a clue. He hadn't realized they were _that_ disconnected from the reality of children!

"When was the last time you guys actually _hung out_ with kids?" He meant it as both a challenge and an encouragement.

It had dawned on him earlier that their distance from those they protected was actually something of a sacrifice on the Guardians' part. They were spending their time- one century after another- doing these vitally important things to protect essential parts of childhood, and had ended up sacrificing their own ability to enjoy their results in person. He felt like he had been the selfish one all this time, focused on soaking up every moment of delight _he_ brought the kids. But he also still firmly believed that it was _important_ to be there for the young people _personally_ , to know that each of them was unique and magical in their own way. To learn from them.

"We are very busy bringing joy to children. We don't have time... for children!" Their hesitance to engage now, as if they didn't even know _how_ to play, was both very funny and very sad.

They deserved better, and so did the kids. If he could give them this thing, a little bit of what he got to enjoy, then he's do it in a heartbeat.

In a moment of inspiration, he crafted a snowflake filled with that sense of pure fun he got when playing with kids, so imaginative and ready to lose themselves in a moment. This, he decided, was Bunny's show, so that's who would lead the way!

"If one little kid can ruin Easter, then we're in worse shape than I thought." And as the special snowflake landed on a furry nose, Jack felt a thrill in his core as his magic was accepted and Bunny's face lit up, finally seeing the opportunity right in front of him. Best. Thing. Ever.

_The Guardians could feel the waves of fun radiating from Jack and through their former selves, and they found themselves laughing freely at the memory, the residue of sorrow being scrubbed away. They laughed in gratitude at Jack's generosity and compassion as he extended this part of himself to them._

_They chuckled in delight as they watched Bunny and Sophie became inseparable. Smiled as Jack immersed himself in his Center, admiration for the Easter process and a surprisingly intense joy to be observing it firsthand it in every moment and in his mind music. He could feel it all, they realized, the Fun the others were having, the Hope filling every moment, and the joy Sophie brought simply by being her wonderful little self and reminding the Guardians exactly how precious and amazing everything they protected was. But they realized Jack wasn't internalizing the scope of his own role and impact in the process._

By the time they were done, all the eggs safely on their ways, Jack had come to value the truth about the Easter Guardian he had long admired but previously misunderstood. This was a very impressive and pleasantly natural operation- inspired, really-, and it's purpose was of the highest order. It was easy to mock someone who took their work so seriously, but he had always known Easter was terribly important, and this was all extraordinary.

As Sophie climbed right up into Bunny's arms, trusting her new friend, and as millions of beautiful eggs marched to the surface to surprise and delight the children of the world, Jack gave a contented sigh. He had waited a long time for this. To help with Easter for real.

_What? Hoooow… if Jack appreciated Easter and wanted to help, how had Bunny always been under the impression that he not only didn't care, but was more inclined to be destructive of it than anything else? It was just… generally understood among the spirits of Spring… and the only truly clear memory Bunny had, the blizzard of '68, clearly reinforced that… Bunny frowned in frustration. This was not adding up._

"Not bad." Jack commented, trying to tell Bunny he admired him, and thought the rabbit should be proud he was turning this whole situation around with his holiday.

The boy hadn't been expecting the Pooka's acknowledging look and affirming words in return. "Not bad yourself."

The unwarranted generosity of Bunny's comment filled Jack with pure light and reminded him that he probably should apologize for being so out of line and intentionally antagonizing the rabbit earlier. Especially when he knew how touchy the Guardian was about the name.

Feeling vulnerable but brave, he offered the reconciling words. "Look, I'm sorry about, you know, about the whole kangaroo thing." And all the rest of it- he hoped Bunny would understand.

_Bunny shook his head. How had Jack come to the conclusion that he should apologize, when Bunny himself- obviously the bigger offender- had never considered his own need to apologize seriously enough to get around to it? Well,_ that _oversight would be addressed as soon as possible, he resolved._

"It's the accent isn't it?" Bunny's acceptance was a true relief and he liked the easy chuckle that followed. Jack was pleased by how much the gruff warrior cherished the little girl in his arms, and hoped the Pooka would continue spending time with children despite the demands of his job. He's be much happier and the kids would be ecstatic- Bunny was actually _good_ with children, he suspected after today's demonstration.

In fact… they probably all were, he realized as he watched them gather around Sophie with such doting looks. They very obviously cared, and he truly felt ashamed that he had doubted it for so many years, criticizing them ungenerously in his mind all this time.

_The memory shifted suddenly and it was nighttime outside Jamie's bedroom. The Guardians were confused- they knew the trouble that had happened in between the Warren and the night after Easter, and wanted to understand it. But they were mostly surprised by the fact that Jack wasn't feeling discouraged in this moment, even after they had turned their backs on him at Easter. In fact, he was filled with a new confidence and determination, stronger than at any point prior. What had happened?_

_"Oh! The memories!" Tooth exclaimed. "He had his tooth box, he must have watched them."_

_"Right, right. I wonder what they contained?" North murmured, then put that thought aside as they were absorbed into the new scene._

Jamie was on his bed, talking to a stuffed bunny.

"If it wasn't a dream, and you _are_ real, then you have to prove it. Like, right now."

_The Guardians felt the agony of the moment along with Jack. The pure belief and hope of Jamie, so precious, needing to be protected._

"I believed in you for a long time, OK? Like, my whole life, in fact. So you kind of owe me, now."

Belief so strong but so fragile, and the knowledge that something deeply important would be destroyed in the boy if he was disappointed.

"You don't have to do much. Just a little sign, so I know."

And Jack was the only one there. Invisible. Unable to do anything to protect anything. Not Easter. Not the Guardians and what they represented. Not the heart of this small believer who Jack had watched over and longed to reach for years.

"Anything. Anything at all." Silence.

The small figure wilted and dropped the doll, hope gone.

"I knew it."

The moment of defeat. And Jack couldn't stand it anymore. As a matter of habit more than anything, he tended to stay out of houses and indoor places, even though he had learned long ago how to keep his icy powers to himself. But this, like the tooth collecting, was a special circumstance, driven by a desperate need. So the frost spirit pushed the window open- was it left cracked with the hopes the Guardians would return?- and entered, determined to do _something_ to ease the boy's pain.

So he did what he knew best.

_Sandy had to admire the simplicity of it. Magical images drawn in frost from nowhere. It couldn't be explained away, but it also wasn't some grand, overdone blizzard. This was gentle and comforting, respecting the belief Jamie already had._

_Bunny watched with wonder as, with no hesitation or other consideration, Jack created images not of snowflakes or icicles to promote himself, but of an Easter egg and a bunny. The Pooka remember how weak he had felt at the time and realized that with this simple gesture, Jack Frost had probably saved his life._

_Tooth smiled as Jack rewarded the boy's reaffirmed belief with a treat that was one hundred percent_ Jack _. She felt how he pushed himself to bring it together- the frost and the Fun and the new belief that he could do something unique to protect children. And that inspirational combination paid off with a splendid animated frost bunny._

_North felt every ounce of previous pride fill him at the unadulterated Wonder Jack had created. Using his own special gifts, he created beauty and excitement and joy. And North could hardly contain his own excitement at the thought of how Jack was about to be rewarded himself…_

Jack was happy in that moment, knowing he had given Jamie hope again, and watching him laugh and play with the frost creature he had made for him. It seemed to come out of nowhere, when the small boy said Jack's name.

And then he said it _again_.

Jamie _recognized_ the _idea_ of his _existence_.

And then the brown haired child said it a third time after turning in his direction, and Jack could hardly stand the raw feelings zipping through him as he heard _his_ name, spoken as if it _mattered_ , by a child, by his _Jamie_!

"But that's me! Jack Frost! That's _my_ name!" He just had to say it aloud because it _couldn't be real_. Turning back to Jamie in complete disbelief, he _insisted_ , " _You said my name_."

But the boy was just staring straight ahead, in a daze. In fact, he was staring unflinchingly at Jack's face. But, he knew from endless experience, that didn't mean anything. He had turned it into a game for awhile, long ago, trying to position himself in front of whatever people were looking at to pretend for a moment that it was him. It never was. But _something_ had caught the child's attention.

"Wait, can- can you hear me?" Jamie- Jamie _nodded_. Jack drew instinctively closer, and noticed the boy's eyes focused to _follow_ \- "Can- can- can you _see me_?" Again Jamie nodded and something so bright it was downright painful exploded through Jack as he staggered in shock, needing to say it, over and over, "He sees me!" A stab of fear that it couldn't be true made him feel vulnerable for an instant before he crushed it with the weight of his own desire, _it had to be true_. "He-he sees me," it came out a joyful sob as belief that it was real finally took hold, and Jack flipped through the air as high as he could in the tight confines of the room.

_They hadn't quite realized just how deep this need had been for Jack until this moment when it was met. All of his desperation they had felt up to that point had been muted, the result of decades upon decades upon decades of suppression. Three hundred years of it, in fact. Shattered in that single exchange with Jamie, and it was truly excruciating. The magnitude of what he had been through had not been fully revealed until the moment it was finally_ relieved _._

_"I wish I could go back," Tooth whispered in anguish, as they watched the excited back-and-forth between Jack and Jamie, the winter spirit's extreme emotions still slashing through them. Her three companions knew exactly what she meant. They wished as strongly as she did that they hadn't been so preoccupied with their perceived duties that they had neglected this one very special child and his need for belief for so long that he had to feel like_ this _. Their hearts gave another lurch as Jamie questioned their own existence and Jack unhesitatingly shared the belief he was receiving- his first ever- with them without reservation. Excited to do so, in fact._

"Real, real, real! _Every one_ of us is real."

_Everyone of_ _us_ _._

Somehow, as lost as he'd been in trying to figure out the Guardian situation, his conviction had remained consistent: he needed to give individual attention and care to children, in addition to general happiness with snow days and such. And the way he got his first believer proved it was Right.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

_The final memory Jack had chosen for them was brief, just a conversation between himself and North as they all played in the snow by the light of golden dreamsand after knocking out Pitch. They could hardly pay attention at first, so overwhelmed as they were with the previous memory's searing emotions. But the quieter happy confidence had its own way of pulling them in._

Jack started it by lobbing a snowball at Jamie- just as he had a few days before. Only this time, he felt a shy thrill as the child didn't question who had thrown it. He knew exactly who brought this fun and rewarded the winter spirit with his first playtime _directly_ _with_ children in his immortal existence. The power of that Fun pulled everyone in, and Jack realized as he stepped back to see the whole picture that he had never seen a sight quite so odd or beautiful as a bunch of children in pajamas playing with yetis, fairies and Guardians in his snow in the middle of the night. How could everything change in just a couple of days after _centuries_ of futility? At the moment, though, all he could care about was the very bright future.

"Your Center?" North swept his arm at the scene.

In the end, as he came to understand his Center, it made complete sense. It wasn't one way or the other, Their Way or His Way, large scale gestures or individualized attention.

Fun was _both_ sweeping experiences _and_ _also_ personal playtime.

"Well, it took awhile," Jack could admit, "But I figured it out." There was no turning his eyes away from North's proud regard now. He himself was proud of this accomplishment and newfound understanding. And he wanted North to know how grateful he was for his help getting to this point.

North tossed him a little wooden figure and Jack froze. Did the holiday Guardian know what this _meant_? What this _was_? Because despite a few changes to its appearance, it was definitely the same inner Matryoshka doll from centuries before, which he had despaired of ever finding again after it was lost years ago.

Regardless, what it meant to Jackin this particular moment was that North had been serious about Jack joining the team from the start. _And_ he had _known_ , must have known from the very beginning in order to have had this on hand _now_ , what Jack's Center was. But he had been patient enough to let him figure it out himself, known he wouldn't have believed it otherwise. In fact, he probably would have rejected the idea...

He chuckled wryly at his earlier foolishness and the wisdom of the old Guardian. And as he smiled up at this man who _believed_ in him… he believed right back.

As they were all pulled back into playtime, the music was there, but this time it was almost drowned out entirely by the laughter. Jack found a place he _belonged_.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Present time:**

Jack landed with a splash in 8-inch-deep water. Or he thought it was water, it was kind of moving strangely and mist kept rolling across and obscuring its surface. And more importantly, he couldn't _sense it_ at all. Uneasiness sent a chill through him as he realized he couldn't sense a lot of things- the air, the earth, warmth, life, it was as if his surroundings were blank except to the mundane senses of sight and sound and touch, and even those weren't particularly sharp. The lighting wasn't dark, it was just… muted like everything else, light filtering from unknown directions like a very cloudy day.

He knew this place. Had been here once, not many years after becoming a spirit. It was one of his darkest memories, and he knew he definitely didn't want to be here now.

Looking quickly around as he raised himself into a crouch, he turned and became aware of a pair of feet hovering right in front of his face. Eyes widening, he jerked back and looked up.

She was at least seven feet tall and completely white. Her skin, her pixie-cut hair, her feathered wings, her clothes- a very simple sleeveless jumpsuit, loosely belted around her slender body. The only deviations were her silver eyes and swirling tattoos down the sides of her face, neck and shoulders, and the black spear she carried and satchel she wore. Jack's slightly pink skin, intensely blue eyes, and subdued clothing looked vibrantly colorful by comparison.

The boy's shocked expression was exceeded by her own. Suddenly the spear tip was beneath his chin and he was looking into her fierce eyes. Eyes like molten mirrors, narrowed in accusation.

"How dare you?!" Her alto voice crackled with fury.

"Eh…?"

"We do NOT ALLOW immortals into our realm uninvited, and those we find sneaking in we ensure will never return home!"

He carefully raised himself into a standing position and backed up a step, only to find the spearhead matching his movement. The alabaster spirit towered over him, and she had stretched her wings out above her head to appear even taller.

"If you think you can use _my_ portal to _invade_ this sacred place-"

"Hey, hey, I didn't _use_ anything, your portal thing just opened up and pulled me in!" Jack glared at her, not liking her accusations or intimidation tactics or the way this place made him feel so hollow.

"Hah! It doesn't work that way, they are effective only for the passing of the dead and the messengers of Death- you must have _corrupted_ it to infiltrate-" She gasped as if in sudden understanding. "YOU are the thief!"

And Jack was very certain she was about to _end_ him.

"Astrid."

A very deep, cultured, calm voice resonated from the mists off to Jack's right. He stopped breathing for a moment before looking slowly over to the voice's location. _Ohhhhh, great. Just the person I wanted to avoid..._

The spirit he was looking at about matched Jack's 5'8" height, but the power of his presence was like a punch to the gut. His reflective eyes matched Astrid's, but were offset to greater impact by his deep violet skin and matte black hair. Jack was unnerved by the fact that Hades, ruler of the flow of Death and its gates, was wearing a modern black turtleneck and jeans. Everything about him was clean, neat and calm- had he possessed a more human skin tone, he could have blended in to any mortal coffee shop crowd. His eyes, however were far too distant and mature for a human's, ancient eyes that had literally seen it all and watched everything pass.

"Sir." She immediately folded back her wings, but didn't lower the spear. "I've found an intruder, I was just about to deal with him and complete my delivery-"

" _Excuse_ me, I didn't _ask_ to 'drop in'. Don't blame me if your portal is broken!" As Jack quickly cut in to defended himself, he tried pushing the spear away from his neck, only to have her jerk it from his hand and snap it back in place. A very thin line of blood appeared on his throat, compliments of a shallow scratch he barely felt.

In an instant, Hades was there, face inches from Jack's, one dark hand pressed to the cut and the other holding the spear clear to the side. Jack felt a moment of terror at the death lord's grasp on his throat, but Hades immediately clarified.

"You do not want to shed blood here," he warned.

He turned his face only slightly, eyes shifting down and to the side to indicate he was now talking to the woman behind him.

"The message, please, Astrid. We will talk later." The tone was straight-forward, neither commanding nor comforting.

"What?! I can still go deliver it." Jack could see the professional pride and desire not to disappoint her boss in every indignant line of her face.

"Then do so. Jack Frost is now a Guardian of Childhood as well." Pulling his hand from the pale neck- now unmarked- he began wiping the slight traces of Jack's blood off of his hand with a monogrammed handkerchief.

"Who's Jack Frost?"

Hades looked up at her with his steady gaze, then slid it in Jack's direction and back.

"Oh." She looked at Jack who simply raised a 'yeah, hi' eyebrow at her. "You mean- you really _were_ just there and fell through… but, how is that possible?" Nervous, puzzled glance at Hades. Jack decided he liked her, despite her initial aggression- she was obviously determined in her duty and bold enough to ask questions of her unsettling leader, more concerned for the truth than hiding her own ignorance.

Death's keeper sighed. "Nevermind that, Astrid, just make sure you open a strictly one-way portal in future. I know it's faster to return if you just make it two-way and prop it open, but safety first."

Her lips tightened and she looked slightly dejected before she reached into her satchel and retrieved a black envelop with a silver embossed label reading "Guardians of Childhood." Floating closer to Jack, she extended it with both hands, and the winter spirit found himself taking it from her the same way, almost ceremoniously.

"Safe passage, Jack Frost." Her tone was firm, then she seemed to blend into the vapors in the air and was gone. Jack figured that was her version of an apology and graceful exit.

He looked from the mists to the black paper in his hand, then back up at the dark purple figure who stood silently assessing him. Then Jack narrowed his eyes and looked closer, because those silver eyes were just ever so slightly turned up in humor.

"My Valkyrie are very… dedicated, but you could have fallen through a worse portal."

Jack gave a half grin, relaxing slightly. "I'm guessing this doesn't count against your 'never return' mandate."

Whatever laughter was in the silver eyes was quickly extinguished. "No, but it is dangerous for you to be here. Especially now." Hades' slight shifting from one foot to another was like a regular person grabbing their hair and hopping around in anxiety, the winter spirit decided.

"A weapon used to remove immortality has been stolen from my care. I do not know yet if the problem has moved beyond this realm, but I am working through every layer between this world and yours, informing the other immortals as I go, to ferret out the thief and his plot." White-hot fire filled the silver eyes. "He will be taken care of."

"Whoa, the nerve of that guy," Jack breathed, astonished. Because really, stealing from _Hades_?! You'd have to be _mental_...

Heh.

Jack took a deep breath, pressing his lips together.

He really shouldn't.

This was neither the time nor the place.

Aww, but he was GONNA!

Jack's grin, finally released, exploded across his face. "That was a _grave_ mistake on his part, huh?"

"…"

"It's almost _tomb_ much to imagine."

"…"

"Your silence will be the _death_ of me?"

"...Your puns are _fatal_ mistakes."

Jack's uninhibited laughter rang out, the first sound that somehow wasn't muted to a hush by the layers of mist. And as if responding, thousands of small, smoky blue lights winked into existence all around him, stretching into the murky distance. His laughter died at their sudden appearance, wondering if he'd set something off and they were going to attack. Maybe there was a noise ordinance here, or-

"Don't worry about the Wisps. You've only made them… happy." And Jack couldn't do anything but stare in wonder for a moment, because the King of Death's Gates, properly respected by every spirit, whose facial expressions changed less than Jack's permanent ice, was looking at the lights with slightly softer eyes and- yes, the hint of a smile barely ghosting the corners of his lips.

The moment was over as Hades blinked and tilted his head.

"The other Guardians of Childhood are awake and missing you." A slight turn of the purple wrist and a portion of mist curled itself into an opaque portal beside Jack.

"All immortals are in danger and should be on their guard, you most of all. I have little information now, but by the time we speak again, I should have a full report."

Jack nodded and gave one last half smile over his shoulder before stepping through the swirling gateway, grateful to be heading... home.

* * *

_-ROTG-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaay, the plot is back! :D
> 
> Jack had very specific reasons for choosing the each memory to shown them this time. The very long bulk of it, from North's office to the end of the Easter prep, was to show how his first impressions changed. He intentionally skipped the Pitch encounters because he thought it would make them feel worse and make them worry "unnecessarily." (Don't worry, you KNOW I'll do them later, psh.)
> 
> The scene with Jamie was to show how he finally felt he could be a Guardian and wanted to help and protect the team as well. Those feelings were consistent from that point forward, and they obviously had fought well together as a team at the time, so they didn't need to relive the whole battle. The snowball fight scene was to show North he fully understood the extent of his effort to help him, and the resulting trust he felt.
> 
> The Pitch chase and Oath scene spoke for themselves at the time and were also superfluous to Jack's purpose, so those were omitted. :)
> 
> Perhaps you have noticed that this also conveniently leaves the Guardians with just Jack's earlier impression of Pitch, so no reason for them to think he would try to connect back with the Boogeyman…
> 
> Ahhhahahahaha, I named the Valkyrie Astrid, did you see what I did there? XD Just a lil nod to a sister fandom...
> 
> Hades. Hades is such an overused character, I thought, why don't I choose some other death god/spirit? BUT, there's a very good reason that I chose him and he's kept that name. I seriously went through a lot of alternatives, but this really does end up making the most sense with the world canon you'll learn about later.
> 
> And yeah, Hades isn't some big, tall guy. No one calls him cute or kid or anything, though. Wonder why. Also, I am so tempted to do a Hades POV later when it won't ruin the plot.
> 
> I can't help it, I think Jack is just the type to appreciate puns...
> 
> The 'ghosting' pun in there was mostly unintended.


	16. New Life: In Need of Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretend you're the author. If you had just finished a four-part section like we just had, with all that emotion and change in how the characters understand each other and the focus on the past… how would you have them interact and how would you move them believably back into the current plot? Urgh. Feel like my imagination broke.
> 
> As for what I did with it... I'm not happy, but I didn't want this to hold everything up. I may redo it in future. It was obviously going to start off with fluffy mush. Accept it. Don't worry, plot stuff starts to show its face again…
> 
> I apologize in advance for introducing MORE OCs. I swear, they only exist to move the plot along! I have no attachment to them! I'll kill 'em all off to prove it, mwahahahaha! (not really, that would be unnecessarily dramatic)
> 
> HUGE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO DragonflyonBreak, best BETA ever, without whom this would have been much much much worse. And a HUGE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO Smile-Sender on Tumblr for pre-reading and giving me great advice and putting up with all the whines.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

As Jack drifted through a tunnel of twisting grey clouds, he could hear voices before he saw anything at the other end.

"Phil says is same kind of portal as stole Jack!"

"Right, North grab my hand, I'm going in ta see-"

Then Jack could see and his feet touched lightly down on the familiar wooden floor. He barely had half a second to breathe a sigh of relief as his full set of senses returned, when a furry paw, a massive tattooed arm and a sand whip all wrapped around him and yanked him from the proximity of the quickly fading portal. He was looking at a pair of fairy wings flittering in front of him as Tooth stood as his front guard. Jack was frozen in surprise for a few moments, then…

"Oh good, you're awake! Great timing."

As he made to move his restricted arm to lift the envelop, North's large limbs only tightened, holding him closer to his chest. Bunny's arm was extended in front of his shoulders, both securing him to North and blocking him from whatever may approach. Sandy hovered on his other side with a hand on his arm by his elbow, ready to move forward if need be. Tooth watched the space previously occupied by the portal for a couple of beats and when nothing appeared, whipped around so her face was inches from Jack's, filling his entire vision.

"What happened?"

Jack had been struck speechless by the intensity glittering in her eyes- a look that promised no small amount of pain to whatever culprit he identified had been involved in his 'abduction'. A smile lit his own eyes in response.

"It was actually just an accident! One of Hades' messengers opened a portal to deliver a message to us and I just, um… heh, happened to fall through. Wrong time, _really_ wrong place. But, he sent me back safe and s-"

Tooth's expression had relaxed gradually with his explanation, recognizing that the danger was passed, until she interrupted him by throwing her arms around his waist and nestling her head beneath his chin. Sandy had joined her immediately in the hug. Bunny's arm in front of him had dropped slowly while he talked, only to be lifted again suddenly so the paw rested for just an instant on his shoulder. A moment's touch as if to confirm the winter spirit's solid presence. Then a small sigh as the Pooka crossed his arms, a look of weary relief easing across his face.

As Jack was taking in all these unusual sensations, his heart felt like it was bouncing around and changing direction with each new touch. His ribs, arms and back protested and burned with their injuries, but he allowed his head to lean back slightly and relaxed the rest of the way, supported on every side. He closed his eyes so he could just feel how completely enveloped he was. The love-starved boy could sense the smile stretching across his face in immense relief that they no longer seemed to be upset. Everything had been fixed.

But as his initial adrenalin wore off and the many arms gave no sign of loosening, the pain increased until his ears were ringing. As much as he wanted to cherish this moment, pretending to himself it was to comfort _them_ so he could allow himself the experience, he needed to be released or he'd be unable to hide the effects of his physical pain.

Jack cleared his throat and tried to sound calm. "So… what was it like?"

Sandy was the first to let go, and he floated slightly higher until blue eyes and gold were on equal level. And the Sandman just looked at him, serious and searching. He made no signs, just stared into the icy blue as if seeing the answers to the world. Then he placed a small hand on a pale cheek, leaned forward and rubbed his forehead against Jack's with a smile so tender and kind, not even the most insecure being could misunderstand the affection. Jack marveled once again at Sandy's ability to communicate everything that was actually important without a single word. How amazing to have found a friend like this.

He became aware that Bunny and North hadn't shifted yet, but Tooth had raised her head and was watching them with soft eyes. She was the first to verbally answer his question.

"It was… good. Good for us to see and understand." Her expression turned a little complicated as she broke eye contact for a moment then glanced back up. "Thank you for that. I think- I don't think any of us understood even a little of what that experience was like for you, even though we were… we were all there."

Jack could feel the slight rumble of a chuckle in North's chest as he commented with chagrin, "Didn't understand what _any_ experience is like for _snezhinka_. You have very different… awareness and thinkings."

The winter spirit, unsure how to take this, opened his mouth to ask for further explanation, but Bunny cut him off, speaking at last as he moved a step closer to look into the boy's questioning eyes. Jack swallowed at the fervent look in the green gaze.

"More important, we didn't understand your _perspective_ , where ya were comin' from. Didn't take in ta account anythin', really." His gaze flicked away thoughtfully and then forward, connecting again. "I'm sorry, Jack, for tha destructive things I said and did when we first brought ya in. And I'm…" The Pooka looked down at Jack's hand, took the envelop with one paw and lifted the pale palm and fingers with the other, grasping it firmly. "I'm glad you're with us." He finished simply but with layers of meaning, looking at the youngest Guardian with serious and honest eyes, free of pride but filled with the strength that grows from humility at an apology genuinely delivered.

A radiant smile broke across Jack's face and he laughed and felt free, even with the pain in his constricted lungs and the arms holding him immobile.

"Bunny," he chuckled. "You just keep giving me one reason after another." The enigmatic comment was explained by the decidedly admiring look he was giving the Pooka. Jack was once again impressed.

At Jack's smile, laughter and kind words, Bunny's expression turned to something resembling wobbly affection and gratitude, before a shadow crossed his features and he looked down and sighed, shaking his head and running a paw over his face. Jack, not quite sure how to take this change in reaction, continued.

"You know that apology is a two-way street, right? I was taking a lot of things out on you guys that weren't your fault at all when you were just trying to do the right thing the whole time and…"

Bunny raised a disbelieving brow as he realized _Jack_ was apologizing. He was getting better at knowing how to respond to the winter spirit, however, as the Pooka recognized he needed to put the boy at ease and reassure him that his slight-by-comparison infractions were understood and forgiven. "Y'know funny thing about bein' inside someone else's head- ya do kind of end up with tha whole story." _It's okay, kid. Ya don't need ta explain._

Tooth laughed softly and when Jack shifted, they all finally gave him a little space. Feet once more on the ground, the agile youth immediately took a step and pivoted in one smooth motion so he was facing the others fully. Initial feelings addressed and Jack safely back in front of them, the flood of questions the Guardians had been filled with while in the memories came pouring forth.

"Jack, what was music?! As if in everyth-"

"First of all, what was tha about imitatin' our methods? How could we have missed th-"

"What happened with your memory box, did you see-" Tooth noticed Jack had backed up a few steps, eyes darting between them and hands slightly raised. _Tsk, I should know better._ "Guys. GUYS!" She flipped to look at the other Guardians, slicing a hand through the air. North and Bunny fell silent mid-word, and Sandy had something that resembled Jamie, a clock and a snowflake paused over his head.

"We just experienced something completely different, and we're going to have a million questions, but I think this has been invasive enough for now." She glanced over at Sandy, who was looking thoughtful and gave her an affirming nod. "And remember, these questions can trigger a memory request. Let's… let's give it just a little thought and time, and discuss it when our minds are a little clearer. And _one at a time_."

Bunny looked back at Jack's face, which had closed off slightly, then nodded to the fairy. After all this, probably wasn't the time to probe the kid further. The questions were certainly important, but not unavoidably urgent. To push it immediately would probably just reaffirm the worst anxieties Jack had had going into this process.

Jack's hands dropped and his shoulders lost some of their tension. "Thanks, Tooth. I think… yeah."

North sighed in resignation, but suddenly brightened.

"Yes, many important talks and questions to come, but one thing is for absolute certain! Jack is Guardian!" The grin returned to the bearded face and glee infused North's movements as he turned and strode towards the center of the balcony gesturing for Jack to follow. Jack recognized the area in front of North's globe controls as the place they had held Sandy's funeral. The excitement seemed to be catching, as Tooth giggled and her feathers flexed when she flew to hover by North. Bunny grinned as he caught on and sent a meaningful glance to Jack with an encouraging nod of his head in the direction of the spot. Sandy had floated behind the winter spirit and gently pushed Jack forward with a hand on his shoulder.

This all seemed kind of familiar. Jack gave them a lopsided grin and a curious look as he walked over to where they had gathered. His expression changed the moment he noticed what filled the floor space they stood in front of. He halted in his steps and stared, lips parted in wonder.

It was a star. The Guardian floor monument had been _redone_. Five points for five Guardians.

His heartbeat was deafening and choking, and something was bubbling underneath his skin.

They had changed the whole shape. And he was _there_. He was part of the _star_.

Every feeling he'd had taking the Oath returned to fill him. These amazing people, this amazing role- terrifying, humbling, exciting, right, right, _right_ \- what he was _meant to do_. And he _knew he could_. He didn't remember walking the rest of the way or crouching down, and he was only partially aware that his fingers were tracing the outline of his own form in the triangle pointing directly at the globe. But he was very aware when a hand fell on each shoulder, one large and warm, one firm and dainty. He was aware of the way Sandy's golden glow warmed the colors of the newest tile as the dream Guardian hovered very close by. He was aware that his eyes were slightly glossy when he looked up and saw Bunny's gently approving smile.

Jack rested his cheek briefly on the hand North had grasping his shoulder and could only say two simple words.

"Thank you." Then with a hint of sass, " _Again_."

North simply chuckled in satisfaction and briefly tightened his hold in response.

Everything was so close to being right. Jack rested his hand once more on the tile and imagined. Each of the other tiles was full and complete. Worthy. His tile was now in place, ready, but it was still mostly empty. What would it take to fill it up? To make it shine as brightly as these legends? To be truly worthy? His eyes ran over the other tiles as if searching for the answer.

Hm. He may not be able to stand at their level just yet, not until he _proved_ \- but surely it wouldn't hurt to, to learn more about his new team mates in the meantime? He certainly didn't want to repeat past mistakes based on misunderstanding them. And that way, when the time did come, he'd be ready. And until then… he released his mental image and saw the tiles as they physically were- all the same, save the different symbols. It was probably best not to take this star, with his triangle already all filled in, too much to heart.

_Well, let's keep it simple for now. Help the kids. Help the Guardians. Maybe help Pitch. Protect Spring and Easter- oh man, I'm so behind._

He shot to his feet with a look of determination and took a deliberate step away. The others scrambled to rise, except Bunny who had already been standing a little apart from the group, enjoying the scene.

"I want…" Jack took a few more steps and looked at them with a resolute boldness, "I want to know more about you guys, too."

Sandy's response was the most coherent, a simple sand question mark.

"Does it- does it have to be only one way?" Jack turned an earnest and excited face to Tooth. "I mean, if it's a shared memory, can't I see it from your perspective, too?"

"Ohhh, yes, Jack, please explain _your_ side of the experience!" She readily matched Jack's eagerness and their mutual smiles grew. "That's something I can address right away."

"Well for one, it's probably best if you don't all pass out for hours!" He laughed at her wry look.

"Yes, _that_ one I figured out for myself, thank you. Already have an idea to address that."

"And... dampen how strongly you feel what I did- you all seemed to have, um, absorbed the feelings and thoughts too much the first time. It was like my old thoughts carried over and corrupted yours even after you left the memory."

Tooth shook her head with a pensive smile. "I don't think that's exactly what happened, we had our own reasons for feeling what we did. But I'll see what I can do. If we're going to keep doing this, that might not be a bad idea."

North frowned. Even as Jack was talking of these details, trying to explain how they could have a more positive connection, he was moving away from them. Towards a window. With every glance back at the Guardian tiles, he took a few steps further.

Just as he was passing Bunny, a grey arm shot out and grabbed Jack's thin wrist.

"Leavin' so soon?"

"Uh." Jack blinked and shot another look at the window. He needed space and he really, really needed to catch up on Sephi's list. "I- snow day? There are places that need a touch of Winter, I can feel it. I haven't been out to take care of things for a couple of days, and tomorrow's Jamie day, so I want to finish before-"

Jack cut off his ramble, eyes wide, as Bunny pulled him a step closer in a move that was cautious, implying a desire to communicate rather than anything pushy or aggressive. The Pooka gave the wrist a slight, reassuring squeeze and he spoke very quietly, not letting eye contact break for an instant.

"A'right. But no more assumptions. If you've got doubts, if you don't understand somethin', let's talk about it. Don't run away. Believe me, that'll- it makes it worse. We're in this together."

Jack just stood there for a moment, silent in his friend's casual-but-not grasp, trying to read the look in those green eyes. "...hey Bunny."

"Yeah, Jack?"

"You wanna play with Jamie tomorrow, too?"

A relieved chuckle and the winter spirit was released. "Sure, kid."

Jack backed away with a pleased grin. Neither of them noticed the other Guardians' smiles as they observed the exchange, which clearly revealed a growing trust based on mutual effort. Bunny folded his arms and looked away, but a half smile remained in place. Jack turned and covered the last few hopping steps to his exit.

"You should all come. One o'clock Burgess time. Jamie would love it!" Jack threw over his shoulder at the other three Guardians. As he leapt onto the sill and pushed the pane open, he gave them one more look that said the rest. _So would I._

As he stared at the spot Jack had just departed from, North murmured, "Ah, is hard to keep hold of snowflake blowing in wind… lose connection for only instant, and!" North snapped his fingers. Recalling the first time they'd lost track of Jack in the past few hours, his eyes widened and he turned quickly to his Pooka companion who had last held a certain black envelop. Said Pooka was currently looking deeply thoughtful and slightly unsettled, staring down at the paw that had just been holding a blue-clad wrist.

Tooth had already been observing the grey warrior. She could easily understand Bunny's remaining confusion and hesitancy, especially after the thousand little revelations they'd just been shown. Adapting to a new perspective, beginning to understand a person like Jack- and Bunny better understanding himself by exposure to his own faulty perceptions- would take time to fully respond to. It took time to build an open relationship- especially for Bunny. But she was pleased to see he was beginning to recognize how much he wanted to, even though Tooth suspected he was also afraid of messing it up as he had in the past.

Especially because she observed another layer to the Pooka's response, beyond building a working relationship with a colleague and ally. Something much more deeply vulnerable.

She'd seen it coming the day they'd "brought Jack home" after battling Pitch, the furry warrior already protective and very confused. Pookas, she knew, had been social creatures with strong family ties. That nature had always been apparent, though subtle, in how he interacted with and supported their team. But put into perspective, Bunny had lived a relatively solitary life for a very long time. Everything about Jack pulled at old instincts, however. And diving into the child's memories like that, sharing such a deep connection and seeing just how _worth_ caring for he was...

Tooth glanced at North, and as their eyes met she could see he was making similar connections regarding Bunny. The large man bit his lip, equal parts sympathetic and amused.

Maybe he should take a little pity on Aster.

"Bunny!" North all but roared. Tooth looked exasperated as North snickered internally when the Pooka jumped and gave him a cross look. Nevertheless, he did seem relieved to have been broken from his thoughts. "Message Jack brought back! If from Hades, is probably important," he finished in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh. Hah, right." He reached back to where he'd wedged the envelop in his boomerang holder as Tooth and Sandy flew over to get a look.

It was a short missive, but by the end there were worried looks all around. Just the few facts about the theft and the warning to be on guard communicated the strength of the potential danger.

"Who could have done such a thing?" Tooth pondered aloud. "Pitch wouldn't have been able to… I mean, the Gates are the most closely guarded places in existence. No way he'd have the strength, especially not now."

"I am remembering words of old mentor who helped create a scythe of these properties with Hades himself. Is same weapon?"

Sandy nodded at North in affirmation, seeming to understand the situation perfectly.

"Wait, wait, what exactly does tha' thing do?" Bunny was annoyed that everyone else seemed to be following along while he was completely in the dark.

Sandy made an image of a fairy. A scythe struck the form, changing it into what appeared to be an angry human.

"It changes a spirit inta a human? Why haven't I ever heard a' such a thing?" He was well over a thousand years old, you'd think it would have come up at _some_ point.

"It was made before your time, Bunny, and even when there were more spirits around, they didn't like talking about it," She gave him a consoling smile, but the worried look didn't leave her eyes. "It caused a lot of controversy, but something had to be done for really extreme circumstances. Like when a shadowed spirit went completely, apocalyptically off the deep end and they needed to ensure it couldn't cause more harm. It removes both immortality and supernatural powers, leaving the spirit in its original mortal form, human or otherwise. In the same state it was just before it was changed. Leaving it as vulnerable and susceptible to aging, injury and death as any mortal."

"How d'you know so much about it, sheila?"

Tooth's smile grew tight. "Parents."

The guys all leaned back an inch- they knew better than to inquire down _that_ road. North quickly changed the subject.

"In meantime of waiting for visit from Hades, is time I talk to old friend. May know more about this death weapon business."

Bunny had been thinking along similar lines- he had a long list of questions about a long list of things concerning a certain new team mate, and he believed the leader of his season would probably have some insight.

"Good idea, mate. Got one a them ta consult myself. See ya tomorrow." With a tap of his hind paw, he opened a tunnel and paused. "An' try ta be on time, I don't wanna show up and have to try ta explain why the whole team isn't there the first time Jack has invited us to something important ta him. Having to try ta explain away the things he'll be tellin' himself." The others could see it was more a statement of commitment for Bunny himself rather than a remonstrance to them, so there were only knowing smiles of agreement as the Pooka disappeared through the hole in the ground.

Tooth turned to Sandy with a sigh. "And looks like I have more work to do with this memory process."

Sandy sent her a questioning look and gestured from himself to her. She threw her arms around him with a, "Yeeeees, thank you!" She cleared her throat and backed up a bit. "I mean, it will be really helpful to have your insight, and I think we can run a number of experiments much more safely with your dreamsand."

Sandy gave her a smile and an affectionate pat, then pointed out to the night sky. Tooth nodded. "Yeah, I have to get back and make sure everything's running smoothly, so maybe after your time with Jack on Mond- OH! I forgot to let my fairies know they can stop searching, Jack returned! Oooo, Baby Tooth is going to be furious… maybe I'll just leave out the detail of exactly _when_ he came back. North- better let your yetis know, too!"

North looked slightly chagrinned himself as he saluted Tooth in acknowledgement. Tooth and Sandy made for the same exit Jack had used, as Tooth called out a farewell.

"See you tomorrow!" Then she turned back with a twinkle in her eye, adopted a gruff tone and waved her finger at him. "And don't be late."

They were each laughing heartily as they went their separate ways.

After calling off the yeti's search for Jack- and telling Phil they'd _talk later_ about certain "arrangements" with a certain winter prankster-, North's eyes grew serious, thoughtful. His "old friend" would not be easy to get ahold of. But all that he knew of the stolen weapon at the moment was based on one very guarded conversation, hundreds of years ago. That memory concerned him enough to waste no time in digging deeper. He cracked his knuckles and headed to his special workshop- a room buried deep in the mountain.

"Now, about this scythe."

* * *

**-ROTG-**

It was so elegant.

Solid black, but instead of swallowing the light, it seemed to emit a subtle glow. A perfectly smooth shaft joined seamlessly at one end with an impossibly sharp blade, curved viciously like a hawk's claw. The only break or adornment on the weapon's smooth surface was a set of two jewels where the blade and staff joined. One red, one blue.

Exquisite in the simplicity of its design and intoxicating in its powers. A perfect weapon, the Mortal Scythe.

"Compliments to the creators," Pitch declared to the empty space around him, a mocking smile winding across his face.

Pitch stood deep within his lair, in a room of grey stone. This chamber was special, as Fearlings knew it was off limits. That did not always stop them, but they had to have a purpose strong enough to stand against his anger if they did venture in. Another deterrent was the skylight, far, far above, and the mirrors along the heights of the 50-foot walls, positioned perfectly to ensure that no corner of the room ever stood in complete darkness. Unlike the majority of his domain, he ensured this room was always aligned with the light of day above. An unpleasant room, once made for a different purpose. A last resort. Now it simply made him feel transparent.

He wrapped one hand higher around the pole of the weapon, bringing the blade to face level. His fingers ghosted over the two gems, knowing what they represented. An ugly, bitter resentment and anger twisted Pitch's features.

He hadn't _needed_ such a weapon in the past.

No. His face relaxed. He would focus on the plan, not the anger over what he could no longer change. This scythe was his next step in altering that fate.

That, and another power that had been returning to him slowly- _so_ slowly- at least in part, over the past few centuries. He closed his eyes and reached for his oldest invention now. It was as elusive as it was ancient, so minutes passed before he brushed against the hauntingly familiar Awareness. His MONITOR system, or Mon as he'd come to call it. Pitch opened his eyes and breathed deeply as the connection strengthened, until he could See far beyond this room. While his connection to shadows allowed him to accomplish a similar feat to some extent, Mon had definite advantages- not least of which was the fact that it was beyond the reach of the Fearlings, whom he trusted even less after recent events. Knowledge was power, and he'd prefer to keep that entirely to himself.

It took only a moment to sense their location. There were the Guardians at the Pole. Hah, once they found out about the Scythe and what it could do, they wouldn't be letting the brat out of their sight. But he had accounted for that. And, ah, there was Hades, still making his pointless rounds. He took particular satisfaction in besting that sanctimonious irritant. Always taking the high road with 'lines he wouldn't cross'.

Hades would figure it out any day, but that didn't concern him. He knew how to hide even from Death. And now, the Lord of Death's Gates himself had a reason to fear the King of Nightmares.

No, there was a time he hadn't needed this weapon. But Pitch knew how to overcome a resource shortage. Use what belongs others, of course. Their powers, their position, their _toys_. He laughed as he began to see not only what his Sight was showing him, but all the pieces of his plan falling into place.

The laughter ceased as he noticed the unnatural shadows crossing the floor, seeping across the stone towards him. These adversary-allies of his were always so curious, always seeking to reach and cover everything in their darkness. It was why they got along so well. But this…

"No!" He thundered and towered over them. He would make sure they _never_ touched Mon. "This is _mine_ alone."

They writhed in protest, all but helpless in the light of the room. He noticed the ghostly eyes floating in the darkness narrowing. Time for a distraction. He had been looking for one other spirit while connected with Mon.

"We're going to go visit an old friend." His grip tightened on the Scythe.

No, there was a time when he hadn't needed this. But now that it was in his hand and Mon in his mind… it felt like old times.

As he closed off his connection with Mon, the awareness of every spirit's location was gone again. No matter. Every single one of them was now his unwitting marionette, and the shadows were his puppet strings. As long as they didn't get tangled, the world was his for the taking once more.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

Warm weather all year was just _boring_. Venezuela could use a little more variety, Jack mused as he lay sprawled out on the ground, in no condition to provide that variation.

And fewer tar pits, he decided, wrinkling his nose at the nearby smell.

He was currently disinclined to move. Six pillars. Six. In one night. That was usually half his quota for the _year_. And right now everything hurt. Why is every last ache amplified when exhaustion kicks in? The damaged rib bones in particular were breaking his self-control with their relentless screaming. He would have been tempted to waste some of his powers on healing, but… the mere drop still accessible after this pillar run would have barely made any difference anyway.

Breathe in. Wince.

_Stars are nice._

Breathe out. Shoulders shaking.

_Even when they're fading to morning._

Breathe in. Fingers digging into dirt.

_How can they look so close and so far?_

Breathe out. Eyes clenching shut.

"Well. If it isn't a little broken icicle, shaming the Winter court once more."

Eyes snapping open.

Breath stopped.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, must have left the rest of the chapter in my other bag. :P
> 
> Heh heh, I like thinking about how off-balance Jack and Bunny make each other, while at the same time centering each other. ^_^
> 
> Also, just a general note, just because Pitch is pulling a lot of strings doesn't mean everything he thinks he knows is correct.
> 
> OMG, Bunny is actually going to talk to…?
> 
> This was a hard chapter to write (wait, when is it not?). It was also a lot of work to write. It's transitional both in plot and emotion. It introduces new concepts. It starts pulling me into the more complicated plot stuff where I haven't figured out every minute detail to get from point A to point B (just knowing where you're going and overall how is not enough).
> 
> So many details.
> 
> What if I miss something important and write myself into a corner?! I'm honestly really struggling with this feeling of being overwhelmed by all the pieces and really insecure about the execution and if you'll be happy with it. I mean, for you as a reader, what is it like to slog through all this? Is it interesting or flat? Is there enough emotional engagement? Is the plot compelling at all yet? What are you happy or frustrated with? What are you hoping for? Then again, you're probably not thinking about it on that level, eh? XD


	17. New Life: Spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: how do you introduce four characters using only two? Bonus points for subtle (pfft) exposition of World canon…
> 
> OK, trying to make up for the insecure author rambles (thank you for the reassurances. ;_;) and that cliffhanger last chapter with a longer chapter this time around. And, uhhhh… couple extra buckets of angst and finally some H/C!
> 
> Quick warning, though- this does get quite violent. More than anything previous, so please know yourself and read with caution.

_**-ROTG-** _

* * *

_"Well. If it isn't a little broken icicle, shaming the Winter court once more."_

Jack didn't move. And it had nothing to do with the injuries.

Despite his acute awareness of the elements around him, he had no idea where the voice was coming from.

His hand tightened on his staff, a sense of dread seeming to seep up from the ground he was lying on. With almost no prompting, Wind lifted him gently a few feet in the air, as if aware that he needed to be mobile yet afraid of increasing his pain. He held his free arm tightly to his ribs, not quite able to manage a straight posture.

"Aw, he's not dead." The pouty female voice reverberated and changed volume constantly, making the direction and distance it was coming from impossible to pinpoint.

Jack's eyes darted around, searching.

This place was profoundly unpleasant to the winter Guardian. It was close to the equator. Mildly uncomfortable. The climate was naturally always warm. Not a _big_ deal. But it was the noxious, hot tar he felt oozing up from deep within the fiery earth that really messed with his senses. By the time it reached the surface and cooled, it was sticky and permeated the air for miles with sulfur and methane- a truly horrendous stench. Even the music had been choked into silence. And an 1,100 acre lake of the stuff spread out before him, partially covered in scrubby vegetation that somehow took hold. Beneath the grasses were layer after layer of goopy death trap, perfectly preserving the remains of its victims.

This was not the kind of place a Winter spirit would seek to pick a fight.

Except maybe _that_ particular one, Jack noted, as a spot 15 feet to his left wavered unsettlingly and revealed a being that did not match the voice at all. A shudder of deep, instinctual horror racked its way through Jack as he recoiled, recognizing the spirit from a single previous encounter centuries before.

No, he would never forget Ullr.

Had he straightened his 12-foot-long form, he would have towered over Jack. But a full third of his body was bent over, hunched and extending forward four feet further in the direction he faced than the distance at which his feet stood. It had the effect of making his face constantly too close, probing. He was almost completely shrouded in a long, tattered cloak of midnight blue. His maggoty-grey face, large but barely visible in the cowl, was a mass of twisted wrinkles, so gnarled that it was difficult to distinguish between his features and the folds and cracks around them. He had a single large bone, intricately carved with a thousand tiny obscene inscriptions in a language long dead, slung behind his bent shoulders. In his impossibly slender, long, twisted hand, he held a lantern of carved, hollow bone, which emitted a murky blue light. And… his shadow _moved_ far more often than its host.

The wrinkles shifted and a gravely wheeze of a chuckle emerged from the deeply hooded figure.

"You look afraid, Jack Frost." The head bobbed slightly as the facial crevices undulated with each thin, hoarse word spoken.

Breathing, Jack noted, was definitely more difficult with an elevated heart rate. Ullr, in the past just a looming, silent enforcer, had _spoken_.

"I think 'repulsed' is the word you're looking for, unsightly one," The first voice was laced with caustic humor, and Jack recovered enough from his shock to fly a few feet higher, trying to get more of the area in his view without taking his eyes off the grotesque figure in front of him.

This was probably the least favorable situation he could have asked for. His Winter powers completely drained. Pain clouding his mind and making his movements erratic. Terrain as hostile as it could get. Ullr, just about the worst Winter denizen in existence, and another invisible-to-the-senses spirit on the offensive.

If there was a way to get to the pillar he had just created, he'd at least be able to access some of its power as a defense. But a monster stood between it and him, and he had no way of knowing where the other aggressor was.

Nope. Retreat was the best option here, because there sure wasn't anything _fun_ awaiting him if he stuck around. Thank goodness for Wind.

"You said it, lady," Jack quipped as he launched upwards and in the opposite direction from where Ullr stood, craning his sinewy neck to watch Jack's trajectory.

He hadn't made it 30 feet before a wall of ice spikes, clustered densely so as to be unavoidable, formed in front of him. Darting to the side only made more of them appear, and then they started moving, pushing him back towards the ground. Jack flipped quickly around and shot laterally, knowing that if they succeeded in pushing him further down he'd end up pinned to the earth. Literally.

He flew in the direction of the tar lake, mind furiously working at a strategy... But the spikes vanished as soon as he reached the black pool. He hovered for a moment looking for the next direction of attack. Then flipped around to look back in puzzlement and suspicion. Why halt the offensive when they had the advantage? And surely they wouldn't like Jack to be located over an area of the battlefield that was hostile to their Winter powers.

"Now, now, Jack, don't tell me you don't want to visit with old friends?" The female voice crooned.

Jack focused his attention on Ullr and the pillar. For some reason he felt the other spirit must be… close to there as well. There was something very subtly interfering with the resonating power of the icy sculpture.

"Hah, you're the one who won't come out and introduce yourself. Although I must say, if you sent out Ullr as the better looking option, that may be for the best."

There! The nearby trees' shadows, reaching across the ground on the other side of the pillar from Ullr, were warping and flickering in the blue light in an unsettling way, as if something was disturbing them. The space above the shadows began to bend and magnify the view of the landscape behind it. After a few moments, the distortion took the shape of a wispy woman. She solidified further into a form of the absolutely clearest ice, perfectly transparent or reflective depending on the angle of the light hitting her. Even her facial features and smile, condescending and abrasive, were so transparent they were nearly invisible, save for a single black pupil in each almond-shaped eye.

Yyyyup, retreat was definitely the preferred option. If Illu Zen, Winter's master spy, capable of bending reality at will, had been sent out, he was in trouble indeed. Although. Hmm.

She _was_ being uncharacteristically direct.

"Recognize me now?" She mocked with a light, lilting voice that no longer bounced around the clearing, obviously satisfied with Jack's initial wide-eyed panic at her appearance.

Jack's eyes narrowed as he glanced from Ullr to Illu. Encounters with other spirits had been so rare in his history, each was extremely significant. He'd used each opportunity to study their natures, trying to memorize and understand- was there some clue that would help him find them again? Figure out how to make things better? Something he could do or say that might interest them enough to come back? He always had years to think about it afterwards, running it back through his mind.

These observational skills were giving him a different advantage right now. Something was definitely off. _Recognize them?_

"Good question," he muttered.

Ullr turned his ghastly face toward Illu and hissed, "Ever the cccelebrity, hoping _someone_ will recognize you."

Illu turned raging eyes to Ullr but addressed Jack, "I'm sure it must be a comfort to you, Frost, to know you will be sent to your burning, sticky black grave by a _legendary_ spirit of illusion and-"

Poof, splat!

He may not have an ounce of strength left… but snowballs took less than an ounce. And his Center was as strong as ever, once he set aside the fear to focus on a plan of action. Like taking advantage of a distraction.

Ullr's figure had reached a bizarre new level of contortion as he made a sound that was part wheeze and part wail in outrage at the white flakes coating his skin and the inside of his cowl. Illu stared, mouth wide in shock, as the slushy snow dripped down her face, better highlighting its contours. A few spare blue sparkles made an appearance in front of her eyes, fighting to take hold as Ullr's wail turned into something resembling a broken vacuum cleaner.

And that did it. Illu began laughing at the comical sound. Her voice transformed, lifted in delight rather than scorn. It changed back to the echoing, shifting delivery of sound she had used when she first arrived, filling the air from every direction.

Ullr's furious outcry ceased at the sound, and if Jack was any judge of posture- pretty difficult with Mr. Grotesque over there- the guy's outrage had escalated. He began shuffle-stomping towards his laughing companion, still giving the pillar a wide berth. The timing was perfect.

Suddenly Illu landed flat on her back with a gasp, feet having slid out from under her on the small patch of ice that 'mysteriously' appeared beneath them.

Ullr paused. Then looked at Jack in what may have been astonishment (how could you tell with all those wrinkles?). Jack straightened further and gave his staff a flourishing twirl, resting it against his shoulder with a grin.

"I guess she couldn't _stand_ it anymore."

OK, that's it, Jack decided. Ullr should not speak, should not wail, and _definitely_ should not laugh. Eurgh. His ears. Time to step it up a notch.

Jack flew closer to Illu, who was just beginning to sit up. Her hand landed on a snowball. Startled, she looked over at the Guardian of Fun.

"Dish best served cold," he whispered with a smirk, a conspiratorial wink and a nod in Ullr's direction.

A slight light caught in her crystal clear eyes.

"Yes, yes it is."

Jack looked at Ullr, not wanting to miss the moment of impact. Huh, maybe even these beings could be taught how to play with enough coachi- whoa, wh-

Splat!

She'd nailed him.

Jack Frost.

With his own snowball.

Whatever look was on his face at that point set the other two off worse than before with the oddest mix of echoing and raspy laughter . And for some reason, that unusual, unseemly laughter filled him with a sense of excitement and life, and the pain took a back seat. In an instant the ground was covered in snowballs, a healthy mix of powdery, slushy and clingy options. Most of them became airborne within seconds, flung with abandon by three very different spirits, many icy orbs hitting their targets.

Jack's laughter joined theirs, and he marveled at the turn of events. He had, literally, nothing left to give. Not a single snowball more could he form. And yet he was playing with what a few minutes before had been mortal enemies.

How crazy was life, huh?

Jack got a little reckless in his glee and flew within reach of the gnarled giant to get the perfect angle on a throw at Illu. Ullr took full advantage of the opportunity, arms shooting out much faster and longer than Jack would have expected, snatching the boy from the air with a delighted laugh.

And suddenly there was a moment. No one moved, as if sensing something was at a tipping point.

And Jack knew the exact moment it tipped not in his favor. He realized something vital that had been nagging at the back of his mind, which hadn't quite sunk in while they were throwing their snowy spheres.

The shadows behind Ullr and Illu had been moving again. Angry, writhing, helpless movements, the shapes growing fainter and stiller with each passing moment of joy.

And he could see them now surge back, a second-wave assault, to invade first the darkness on the ground and then darken the looks on Ullr and Illu's faces until it reached their eyes. Eyes that, even as they dulled and banished the spark that had resided there briefly, were not apologetic so much as resigned with a hint of regret.

He was very aware of Ullr's long, ropey fingers still wrapped around extremely sensitive ribs and the other hand clenching a raw, aching bicep. He was very aware this was going to hurt.

If he hadn't proactively swung the end of his staff to bury itself in Ullr's face, he would not have been able to do it a moment later as his ribs were crunched and his arm viciously yanked, his shoulder popping from its socket with a sickening snap.

The initial scream that tore free from Jack's throat hissed into silence as ribs punctured lungs and were driven deeper when he hit the ground. Ullr had his hands wrapped around his face in pain.

If he had dropped his staff in that moment, he would have been done for. Lifetimes of habit keeping it clenched in his fist no matter what paid off once more as he lay stunned and blinded by agony. But Wind, with no direct prompting, lifted him from the ground and hurled him further from Ullr just as Illu drove a barrage of ice daggers into the ground he had been covering.

Jack ended up floating just above the tar lake again. He could feel his lungs collapsing and filling with blood. His mind went somewhere rather abstract.

This was an awfully long fight. And the aggression was certainly extreme. Very unusual for other spirits to stick around this long. They would probably leave any minute now.

But Jack didn't have a minute. He didn't even have half of one before his body shut down and took his consciousness with it. Had he been somewhere safe, his body would maybe have eventually repaired itself to the point where he'd wake up and need to take care of the rest.

But he didn't think he'd be coming back if he dropped into this tar tomb below him.

And he also wouldn't survive if he passed out with the two other nearby spirits still intent on murder.

Illu's face was already adorned with a superior and satisfied smirk, recognizing that all she had to do was wait and victory would be secured.

20 seconds. Sound seemed to be coming from very far away.

Haha. All this tar. There was a funny story about it, wasn't there?

16 seconds. Ullr and Illu were both just standing there now, enjoying this. How annoying.

13 seconds. Oh. Idea. Probably won't work, but…

Jack flew several feet further from the spirits, further out onto the 'lake'.

10 seconds. Heh, they looked so stupid with their confused faces. Oh, and look at that, they came closer.

8 seconds. Hopefully it was close enough. All the black was crowding in, he could hardly see...

_Wind… the angle is perfect now…_

Jack tilted his staff so it was nearly flat against the surface of the lake, directed Wind with a wish and a prayer, and stabbed the end of the wood into the tar.

5 seconds. Nothing happened for a beat, then a wave of tar, pushed from below by the air, exploded to cover the forms of Illu and Ullr.

3 sec- Oops, guess he hadn't had a full 30 seconds.

Wind was truly a miracle, though, so if anything could…

His hand still held his staff. And his mind kept its connection with Wind with his last fading thought.

She didn't fail to deliver, giving one last desperate push toward the pillar, still glowing with stored power. His body flew over the black, sticky, currently-immobile forms of his assailants.

Jack's consciousness was just fading into oblivion with the jolt of landing when his free hand fell against the large ice pole he'd poured his energy into earlier that night. In that split second, he reached instinctively for the familiar power. His eyes snapped back open, glowing from the influx of pure Winter, and without hesitation, he pulled enough energy through to reposition his insides to where they should be, in sufficient working condition to prevent a fatal end at least.

Able to see and hear and breathe and move again.

Wind really was the best. Jack immediately leveraged himself into a crouching position, placing a foot against the pillar so he could roll his shoulder and let gravity pop the quickly swelling joint back in place. Okaaaay, that still hurt like crazy. It would be sore for awhile, unless… he place his hand against the pillar's frosty surface once more. No. Whatever he took he'd just have to replenish later, and if this incident had taught him anything, it was that he needed to preserve his strength so he could continue the work and still protect himself a little. So, just one more nagging discomfort for a few days. No big deal.

With the situation not quite so desperate, and death not quite so close at hand, Jack was able to appreciate what he and Wind had just done.

In the last seconds of the game, they'd disabled their opponents and touched home base. The pain lines eased from his face, a grin stealing over it as he looked at Illu and Ullr, still completely coated but now able to see. They looked significantly less happy and sure of themselves than they had 30 seconds before. With the thick pole of energy now at Jack's disposal, the balance of power was significantly less in their favor.

Time to finish this… he needed to show up clean, calm and healthy enough to play with Jamie. He had tried his preferred method to deal with these two- keep it as playful as possible until they vanished-, and it hadn't worked.

So Jack smirked at the other two spirits.

"Not a bad look, comparatively. Just need a few feathers and you have your _next_ disguise!"

Ullr ceased all movement and Illu opened her mouth with a jolt.

"What do you-"

"Might as well drop the act." Jack leaned his head against the ice, eyes calling them out.

Ullr burst into laughter, hoarse and mocking as Illu's eyes burned with rage. And then they just burned. Literally, like fiery coals.

The shapes beneath the tar began changing rapidly, Illu growing taller, her physique more stocky and muscular, Ullr shrinking to the general size and shape of a man with a swimmer's proportions, lean and toned with broad shoulders. In a brilliant burst of flame that made Jack flinch and shield his eyes, the tar was gone from their bodies, burned away to a coating of ash that immediately began flaking off, leaving dirty smudges behind.

The woman underneath was still transparent, but it was the wavering transparency of superheated air. Maori tattoos wove across her skin from smooth head to undressed feet. They were glowing red and twisting as if forming the shape beneath them until the clear body finished its transformation. Locking into place, the markings settled and turned dark, an exotic black lace covering her powerfully built transparent figure.

Where the scrawling lines on the woman created a sense of powerful control and complexity, the lines crisscrossing the male's body created a network of chaos. He was like molten lava, cooled to a cracked black charcoal surface with the shifting, glowing lines of magma gleaming through, all sharp, erratic angles.

The female's eyes calmed to a deep black, while her companion's eyes continue their persistent fiery burn. The glowing eyes narrowed in aggressive humor and the male spirit spoke in a surprisingly smooth, tenor voice.

"Well, Mira, this kid saw right through your little illusions. Guess your _legendary_ abilities aren't quite-"

" _Shut it_ , Wick," Mira cut him off with resonating female vocals deeper than his. Her eyes never left Jack, who she now addressed. "How did you know?"

Ugh, he had suspected it was Mirage and Wick. Decidedly vicious Summer spirits. Like Ullr, once was enough.

Jack rose to a standing position, hand sliding up the pillar. He leaned nonchalantly on his staff and smirked at her, blue eyes taunting. "Hey, if the whole point of my powers was to, y'know, be _invisible_ and _deceive_ , I probably wouldn't be popping out and announcing myself when I had the upper hand in an attack. _Illu_ certainly would know better. If your character was that narcissistic, she'd want to consider going to work for Sephi, instead." He grinned, eyes traveling over both of them, then in his most innocently helpful tone, "Might want to clean up first, though!"

Mira's tattoos had begun to glow again, as Wick laughed roughly at her expense. Jack waited a beat before addressing the chortling spirit

"And I've only met Ullr on one occasion, which apparently is once more than you. I shall henceforth call you the _Unbelievably_ Unconvincing Ullr."

Wick's laughter died into a glare. "You-"

Jack continued, ignoring his sputtering response. "Neither of you ever got within 20 feet of the pillar. A bit uncomfortable? A Winter spirit would have gotten as close as possible to prevent me from doing so."

Illu opened her mouth, but Jack didn't pause.

"You stopped using the ice spikes as soon as I got to the tar lake. Why? A Winter spirit would want to keep the battle as far from that mess as possible, try to drive it back to regular land. But you're not Winter spirits. And you obviously don't understand them in the slightest."

Jack's face finally grew serious.

"Maybe if you tried knowing your enemy, you'd find they aren't an enemy at all. I certainly didn't want to be one."

The silence lay heavy between them at the allusion to their shared past.

For a moment, Mira and Wick's faces showed open confusion, but it quickly changed back to their previous expressions of resentment.

Eh. This was stupid. He really was done with them.

"Whatever. I have better things to do now. Just don't pull me into your battle with Winter."

He lifted his staff from his shoulder as if about to fly away.

" _Our_ battle? When _you're_ the one planting these abominations in our territory? You started th-"

Jack slammed his staff into the ground, frost reaching out to bite at their feet.

"I'm not _stupid_. You think I can't feel it when you corrupt the natural progression of, of the weather and the earth and, and hurting people… Are _you_ stupid? All the little things that just 'happen to happen' year after year I could balance out, but _now_ \- You _must_ be trying to start a war, because you know exactly what Winter will do- has done- to retaliate for this escalation. This won't end well for _anyone_.

"And, yeah, if all I can do is protect the season caught in the middle, well that's what I'm going to do."

Mira scoffed. "So loyal to a season not your own. I can see why you're such a _reject_."

Jack gritted his teeth ignoring the barb. He called Wind and floated into the air, still in contact with the pillar.

"Fight your skirmishes without me, without Spring, and _absolutely_ without catching more humans in the crossfire."

"We can end this right here," Wick spoke up with a look of grim challenge.

"Sorry, as lovely as your company has been, I've got a previous engagement," Jack rolled his eyes and waved a dismissive hand, knowing he wouldn't see them again for a long time once they'd faded back into the earth- any minute now, probably. He sighed, releasing his tension as Wind ruffled playfully through his clothes and hair. Without another thought, he shot high out of their attack range and flipped around to head north. As he began picking up momentum, he twirled around once without slowing his pace to call back teasingly.

"Stay cool!"

Three blinks later, he was gone from sight.

The two Summer spirits stood, looking after him as the sky seeming to grow darker despite the sun beginning to peek over the horizon. Their shadows writhing and blackening as if still recovering from the earlier laughter. When they looked back at each other, the same bitterness and violent anger lit both sets of eyes. They were fully back to normal. Then Mirage squinted as if seeing something very far away or unclear. A memory.

"He's different."

She paused.

Wick grew impatient quickly and snapped, "What do you mean?"

She broke from her thoughts and tilted her head.

"Do you actually remember… when we met him before?"

Wick shook his head. "I tend to forget inconsequential things like that. Makes room for more important stuff in my mind."

Mira gave him a look of disgust. Why did she even bother. Still, she continued to think aloud.

"Well I don't remember, either, and that _is_ unusual. And yet… he is familiar to me anyway." She frowned, eyes distant and unsettled. "For example, I know this was unusual behavior. Before he would have intentionally drawn this out until we were summoned back. It was… it was so _pathetic_. I had forgotten. He can't even make a proper enemy."

Her look sharpened back to the present and she glared at Wick. "I hope he _does_ complete them. It will mean war for sure. And creating this many of those," she cast a disgusted look at the offending but untouchable Winter monolith, "will kill him. Maybe we can help that along before the end. Although I'm not sure you're up to the task. You had him in your grasp and yet _you're_ the one who ends up punched in the face."

Fire exploded across Wick's skin. "Says the spirit of illusion who couldn't even fool a 300 year old _child_. Pfft, of course _Illu_ wouldn't have pranced right out in the open to show off-"

"I seem to remember it was 'Ullr's' performance, prattling away, that tipped him off first," Mira hissed. "With this poor performance to add to your list of failures, I'm not so sure you'll want to be heading back to face the music just yet. Or ever. Probably better to just stay out here and fade..." And in a blink, she vanished, a few moments of her cruel laughter the only thing left behind.

Wick's form was pure, molten lava, his face a grimace of fury, with a hint of fear. The shadows around him grew darker.

It was Mira's fault they had failed. If he'd been able to use his fire from the beginning instead of playing pretend, he would have won for sure. Jack Frost was nothing. He was weak. Easy to melt. Wick would kill him and throw the corpse in Mira's ugly face. He would succeed where she had not. Then he would be the one gloating.

He could feel these thoughts giving him strength and focus as he sunk into the earth. In moments he found a vein of magma. Faster than fire, he flew north in his own way, deep below the surface.

_**-ROTG-** _

* * *

Jack stood beside his pond, a bittersweet smile on his face. It was melting. Well… it was that time of year. He made no move to refreeze its surface, even though he had regained enough energy to manage it now. A long rest- five whole hours- in the snow far north and he'd slowly absorbed enough of the area's infused Winter to feel much more like himself again. He'd begun storing up the returning power for the next round of pillars. They seemed all the more important now.

He blinked as a snowflake fell on his nose, and his smile turned fully to delight. Pillars or no, Jamie was getting one last snowball fight of the year. Jack had started a gentle but thick snowfall as soon as he'd arrived. A nice layer of the white stuff now coated the ground, just the ideal mixture of fluffy and moist that would make the perfect snowballs. The snowfall was just slowing to a stop.

It was a little before 1pm, but there was Jack's favorite believer already running towards him calling his name like it had been years since they'd seen each other, rather than a handful of days. Then again, Jack thought, as Jamie launched into a bear hug with the Guardian, it had seemed like ages to him, too. Despite the still-broken and painful ribs Jack held him tightly. This would never, ever get old. He hadn't known this depth of happiness _existed_ , and it took him by surprise with each encounter.

He wouldn't let this go. Not ever again. This is what he would protect with everything in him.

They pulled apart, but Jack remained crouched at Jamie's level as, within seconds of each other, a magical portal opened, a hole in the ground appeared, a sand rocket came in for a landing and a speeding fairy spun to a halt. Four additional Guardians stood around the pair, smiling in satisfaction. Jack couldn't help laughing merrily (ow)- they certainly were punctual. Well _he_ had been early, so hah!

He grinned at Jamie, eyes full of light, and raised his hands in the air.

"Surprise!"

Jamie's reaction was everything he could have hoped for. He ran in wide-eyed excitement from one Guardian to another, so over the moon he couldn't finish the sentences he was exclaiming to describe how awesome they were. Jamie ran back to stand in front of Jack.

"We have to get the other kids, they'll _die_ if they miss this!"

Jack reached out and placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder, but his words of agreement were interrupted when the ground between them exploded as something burst through the rocky surface.

They both screamed in response, but Jack's cry was almost immediately choked off as something large, heavy and scorching hot wrapped around his neck and slammed into him at incredible speeds from below, hauling him backwards through the air for several yards before crushing him into the ground. He landed on his sore shoulder, dislocating it once again, while the back of his head smacked forcefully into the ground, nearly knocking him out as the heavy weight of his attacker pinned him down.

It was the hands of fire burning through his neck and into his core, however, that managed to force a scream back out of his throat, hoarse and broken and terrible. It felt like everything inside of him was being destroyed by raging flames as a very different element seared through his veins.

The agony lasted all of three seconds, then suddenly the heat and weight were just _gone_. For a couple of moments he remained arched completely stiff as racking pain still shuddered through his body. The first outside sensation the Winter spirit became aware of was the gentle pressure of something resting on his chest, and another something carefully supporting the back of his head. He realized that although he'd stopped screaming, he'd also stopped breathing with every muscle knotted tight.

"-ome on, Jack, take a deep breath. Ya gotta breathe, kid…"

Jack unclenched his eyes about the same time his ears seemed to work again. He inhaled at last, a gasping, shuddering sound, and held it as his throat and chest stung with bone-deep pain.

It was Bunny kneeling beside him, supporting him with strong paws. A look bordering on terrified panic flickered just beneath the fury in every feature of his face, kept in check by a well-trained ability to focus past it in a crucial moment. Jack managed a second breath and a tiny bit of the anxiety in the grey face eased.

But something was wrong. Jack knew he had stopped screaming as soon as the fire had been removed. Yet he could still hear screaming and broken sobs.

"NO, NO, NO, HE KILLED HIM! HE'S DEAD! DON'T LET HIM DIE! JAAAACK!"

It was _Jamie_. Jack jerked up in Bunny's hold, managing to raise himself slightly so he could twist and get a visual on the smaller boy. Jamie, Jack noted with immediate relief, was safely wrapped in Tooth's arms. She was hovering 10 feet in the air, looking swiftly around to determine if there was any additional danger and searching for the safest direction to take the boy. But relief vanished when he got a good look at his first believer.

Blue eyes met brown and perfectly mirrored each others' horror.

Jamie fell silent, but his small hands came up to cover his mouth as he got a clear view of Jack. Tears fell fast down already tearstained cheeks.

The youngest Guardian could feel the blood oozing down his own neck, but that didn't mean anything, because Jamie was, he was… Jack's mind blanked of all words as he took in the darkening bruise along the child's jaw and the scrapes along one side of his face, neck and hands. He had obviously been battered by the debris from the explosion as… _someone_ attacked Jack.

And in that instant, the pain became a fuel.

Jack wrenched himself into a standing position, with Bunny, startled, instantly rising to meet him and put a steadying paw on his back when his balance wavered. Jack looked wildly around until he spotted North and Sandy and _Wick_. They were 50 feet away, with Sandy having just ensnared the Summer spirit and lashed him to a boulder, unable to move. North, face red with rage rather than mirth, leveled a blade at the attacker's neck.

"Give one reason you do not die this day," North's deep growl made even Sandy pause to glance at the Christmas Guardian.

"F-free me, I have no business with you!" The flaming spirit began to glow more brightly, the sand whips that bound him beginning to fuse together. "I only mean to destroy the Winter spirit. This is not your fight."

Sandy tightened his whips and North pressed his blade forward, forcing Wick's head back uncomfortably. North's voice became even more menacing. "You will not _touch_ Jack. Ever."

At this the fiery form stilled, eyes widening. When he spoke, it was with a genuinely puzzled tone.

"What is it to you? No one cares about Jack Frost."

Two seconds passed in stillness and silence after this declaration.

Sandy was the first to respond, immediately wrapping sand around Wick's mouth as a gag and bringing himself right up to meet the burning eyes. Jack couldn't see Sandy's face, but whatever Wick saw in the Guardian's expression seemed to genuinely terrify him.

With a great burst of flame that forced his captors back a step, he melted through the rock at his back enough to spring free, wasting no time before he ran full tilt in the opposite direction. North and Sandy sped after him.

"WICK!" Jack roared, a furious intensity on his face. He shot a bolt of ice power in the general direction they had disappeared, snapping and erratic as Jack's control at the moment, and lurched forward obviously intending to pursue them.

He barely made it two feet before an iron-firm grey arm circled his waist and pulled him back, a paw holding tightly to the material of his hoodie. It hurt Jack's chest but the boy was past registering such things. He turned toward his captor, face blazing.

"What do you think you're doing?! Let me go!"

There was grim understanding in the green eyes, but Bunny's hold on Jack did not waver. The Pooka didn't have to make any guesses about the boy's condition. His voice was raw. His skin was ashen, dark marks circling eyes that looked even bluer by the contrast. Face still tight in pain. Constantly unsteady on his feet, probably from that nasty knock to the head. Shoulder obviously dislocated. And, oh yeah, a torn, burned, bleeding neck, just spilling Jack's lifeblood with every heartbeat. The young spirit's current agitation was not helping anything on that list.

Bunny had emotion locked carefully away as he addressed Jack calmly but without room for negotiation.

"No. You'll only get in th' way, mate. You're in no condition ta-"

Jack gave a strangled cry of fury as he yanked weakly at Bunny's paw.

"You don't understand! I _need_ to- HE HURT JAMIE!" Jack looked up into Bunny's eyes, his own wild and desperate as he screamed the last words.

A handful of images and feelings- Jack's blinding joy as Jamie finally saw him, the depth of his love for the child- flashed unbidden through Bunny's mind.

Jack stopped struggling for a moment at the expression on Bunny's face. So very serious and heavy, with a depth of compassion Jack hadn't seen in him before. The desperation choking the boy seemed to settle in his throat, wanting to escape as a sob, and he felt his eyes begin to tear slightly.

Jack looked quickly away, back to where Jamie was struggling in Tooth's grasp, trying to get down and over to his wounded friend. Jack could see the ugly bruise on his cheek as Tooth gently held him closer, murmuring in his ear. He could see the moisture dripping through the small boy's lashes still and the lingering fear and pain in the lines of his face.

"He hurt him," Jack all but whispered, his hand still buried in the fur of Bunny's arm. But he made no move to push it away. _Almost_ holding the limb for support.

Bunny's arm tightened slightly, pulling the winter spirit back one more step. If Jack had thought the Pooka's expression had been heavy, it was nothing compared to the weight and menace of his next words.

"I know."

Jack kept his eyes glued to his first believer, but some of his tension backed down as it sunk in that Bunny actually sounded as upset as he was.

But Bunny wasn't looking at Jamie.

_**-ROTG-** _

* * *

A quick shared look between Tooth and Bunny confirmed they were thinking the same thing- get somewhere safer and take care of these two kids. But separating Jamie and Jack further from each other was the wrong move- it would only increase their panic and make their trauma and treatment worse. It would help for both of them to be able to see that the other was going to be okay rather than letting their imaginations run free with additional horrors at the moment. Bunny put his other arm around Jack, lifting him, and within moments, they all made their way to the roof of a nearby building.

Bunny's instincts were howling, but in his calmest mental voice he was telling himself all the right things as he coaxed Jack into a seated position in front of him ("It's only upsetting Jamie more, seeing you in this condition.") so he could treat that very nasty, blackened and bloody neck of his.

It was completely understandable , Bunny told himself, that he was feeling very, very... _aggressive_ right now. But he was a calm, rational, ancient spirit who could behave like it.

As he put a careful paw beneath Jack's chin, lifting it up and to the side so he could get a better look at the damage, he decided that voice was a prissy know-it-all that didn't fully appreciate the situation.

The Pooka yanked the last egg in his bandolier free. This egg was no grenade. The last spot was always reserved for a container of his strongest healing salve. It's magic was two-fold. One property was a traditional healing accelerant and protectant. The other benefit was the fact that it allowed the one applying it to feel a sliver of the pain of the wound, which had always proven to be a powerful assessment tool in the treatment process. It allowed him to know where to apply it, how, how much, and if there were any other underlying issues with the wound.

He stirred the clear, herb-scented mixture perhaps a bit more violently than he'd intended. No, healing was not the only form of action he wanted to take to address the situation.

Still. What was best for Jack was to not overreact.

Bunny paused a moment to look at Jack's expression. The boy's eyes had never left Jamie who was now standing with Tooth, a hand nestled in her feathers. They were talking quietly as Tooth gently applied one of her own healing ointments, brought by a mini fairy. Bunny noticed Jack was obviously trying to look as if the pain wasn't there and he wasn't upset and it was all just a ridiculous situation, haha, as the small believer regularly shot him concerned glances. Well, whether or not Jamie was buying the brave act, Bunny sure as heck wasn't. Perhaps it was the barely visible line of tears still in his brilliantly blue eyes or the racing heartbeat Bunny could see fluttering a pulse point in Jack's neck… but the Easter Guardians knew with conviction that Jack was still deeply upset and would likely _not_ be laughing this one off anytime soon. The Pooka's frown grew even angrier.

Bunny almost hissed when he finally began applying the salve. Burns were always painful, but _this_ \- his stomach clenched. If he was only feeling the highly muted effects, what kind of agony was Jack experiencing?! That jarring thought led to another, as he realized what Jack's lack of reaction to the pain meant. Green eyes widened and his hand stilled for a moment before continuing.

He had been hurt like this before.

Bunny's suspicion was confirmed when Jack, as if on auto-pilot, pulled away slightly when he noticed Jamie wasn't looking and carefully rolled his dislocated shoulder back in place with an unpleasant pop, his expression unchanging. Bunny, however, was shocked.

How many times had Jack gone through something like this? And with not a single, solitary person to help him with the treatment. To watch over him when he was weaker and needed to heal. Bunny's jaw tightened. He wouldn't ask. It would be a bad idea, with the memory veil spell in play. But the Pooka also recognized that part of him- a small, cowardly part that he _loathed_ \- didn't want to know the answer.

The pain against his paw was becoming increasingly distracting. Apparently burns were very, very bad for Winter spirits. A flash of a memory- Jack's feeling of panic at the torch-wielding yetis during his initial 'induction'- left Bunny cringing. No wonder it had set Jack off. He closed his eyes briefly, without ceasing his gentle-as-possible ministration to the torn neck. Those flashbacks, the winter child's memories, still haunted him relentlessly. And probably would for a long time. But they had definitely given him insight.

And so it was with conviction that Bunny _knew_ Jack's greatest wound from this incident was not a vicious burn or a swollen shoulder. It was the burden he was carrying in his heart at the realization that Jamie had been hurt by his very proximity to Jack. No healing concoction in the world would soothe that deep wound. His compassionate nature would internalize the sense of guilt and it would fester.

Bunny's narrowed his eyes as he fought the urge to pursue a certain flaming spirit to its den and make it _account_ for the damage done. And then maybe make it _account_ some more. And then maybe- No. He shook his head.

What's best for Jack.

"Don't be a drongo."

He tilted Jack's chin back toward himself to apply the salve on the other side. Conveniently breaking his sight path with Jamie and focusing it back on the Pooka.

Jack's brave look fell and he just stared back at the other Guardian, silent and closed off. Bunny found the unresponsiveness _excessively irritating_. Unresponsive meant _very unwell_ , for this particular Winter spirit. Unresponsive meant Bunny wasn't given any clues about how to fix it.

"Jamie's a strong kid. And it wasn't your fault."

Jack rolled his eyes scornfully, and although it wasn't the ideal reaction, Bunny felt at least one small knot of his anxiety loosen at getting _any_ reaction.

Jack jerked his chin away and looked back at Jamie. This hadn't been a simple wild sledding accident or flying couch encounter. This had caused the child real pain. And Jack realized he should have seen it coming.

"Yes, actually, it was. "

Bunny raised a brow, trying to hold himself in check and choose his next words carefully to get an unusually reticent Jack to continue. The Pooka felt a strong spike of annoyance when North and Sandy's reappearance interrupted. Sandy was just pulling in his whips, a look of deep frustration on his face, while North stomped and continued slashing with his swords as he landed on the roof, his face thunderous.

"He is gone! Sinks into earth like cowardly snake!"

North paused mid-slash once his eyes fell on Jack sitting there in a bloody hoodie, anger and pain clear in the younger spirit's expression. The large Guardian's fists tightened on the handles of his swords even as he lowered them, the visible rage being replaced by a sorrow that drained much of the violent energy from his form, leaving him looking almost weary.

"Jack…" He began walking towards the boy Guardian. "Am so sorry, he got away-"

"No!" Jack pulled away from Bunny and rose swiftly once more. He took several steps to the side, not noticing the way the furry warrior tensed a little more with each movement that put him further out of protective range. "No, I did this." Jack's staff changed fists in an angry gesture. Then his eyes widened as he looked at the Guardians and lifted a placating hand. "I mean, I didn't mean for it to happen…" He looked down as the words died off, before turning partially away, the next directed more at himself, "But come on, I just fought the guy a few hours ago- And I didn't even _consider_ that he'd follow- so I just leave him angry and fly off and lead him straight here and make a nice little snowstorm to signal exactly where I am-"

"Whoa, whoa, ya mean this is the second time in _one day_ you've been attacked by-"

"Exactly! It's not usually like this… just a quick encounter once in a long while and they're gone, but," He ran a hand back and forth through his hair, "But I _knew_ they'd gotten more aggressive the last few decades. I _knew_ they were coming more often. And!" Jack turned back to them with a wide gesture of his arm, "I knew about the whole veil thing, and that the _point_ is that I'd start being remembered…"

"Jack-" Tooth spoke up, moving closer with Jamie, but the Winter spirit continued in an agitated voice.

"Normally I don't have to worry about anyone sticking around-"

The other four Guardians shifted uncomfortably at the words.

"-I mean, who would bother to come after Jack Frost?! But now if-"

"What did he mean?"

Jack instantly paused mid-word at Jamie's quiet question. The small child was looking down pensively, then he raised direct brown eyes to Jack and the other Guardians.

"That no one cares about, about Jack." His voice was hoarse as he waved a small hand vaguely in the winter Guardian's direction.

Tooth hovered a little closer. "It's not true." _Not anymore._ "He was just being-"

"You heard him? _Saw_ him?!" Jack's eyebrows were raised incredulously.

"The fire guy? Yeah." Jamie looked down and began shuffling his feet, the memory unsettling him. "I mean not at first, but when you were…" He rubbed a fist against the leg of his pants in agitation. "S-screaming… and your neck was getting all burnt and…" As soon as Jack saw the teardrops falling again from the boy's lowered head, the winter youth knelt in front of him.

"Hey. I'm fine. Tougher than I look." Jack's smile was indeed genuine and confident, but Jamie kept his look of vulnerability, simply reaching out to clutch at Jack's sleeve. Jack continued, "I have you. And the other kids. With believers like you guys nothing can keep me down for long." He poked Jamie's chest. "Remember?"

A hint of light returned to the brown eyes.

Jack smiled even more softly as he considered his own words. What difference had their belief made already? Well, the winter spirit had, in the past, managed to have a fun time with initially hostile spirits, but none who had gone _that_ dark. Today, his Center had managed to change, at least for a short period, the personalities of two very violent spirits. Interesting.

Jamie was staring into Jack's eyes, deep in thought. The beginnings of a tentative smile finally peaked through his distress, as if he had come to a realization. "Guardian of the Guardians." He held up a small fist, and Jack's responding smile became lopsided and affectionate. He raised his own and bumped it against Jamie's.

They all took Jamie the short distance back to his house, staying a little closer together than usual. Bunny could easily recognize- and understand- the many ways Jack tried to hide his pain and keep his movements casual. The child asked for confirmation that Jack would come back the following week, and although the winter spirit's expression became guarded, he agreed. Jamie would settle for nothing less than a pinky swear.

Jack watched him enter the house and gave the boy a final smile as he closed the door. The smile faltered to sadness and then faded all together as the snowy white head turned, looking into the distance with anger. The direction, Sandy noted, that they had chased the Summer spirit. Hm, distractible Jack was remaining focused on this one.

They were beginning to recognize the change in how Jack held his staff just before taking off. And there it was.

"Good thing you're Jack Frost."

Bunny's quiet comment caught the winter spirit's attention.

"I'm sure a little ice on that-" He poked the tender spot on the back of Jack's head, making him gasp, "And that-" A slight jab to the injured shoulder that made him hiss and step away from the Pooka, "Would do ya worlds of good. Maybe you'll be fit for guarding something- like yourself- in a week or so. And stopping touching that," He pushed Jack's hand away from the coating of medicine on his throat. "It'll take a couple a' days with a wound like that, an the more ya worry it the longer it'll take ta heal."

Tooth was giving Bunny an affectionately exasperated look for the roundabout way he was expressing protective concern. Trying to make Jack see that running off to hunt down Wick on his own was not the best idea.

"I'm not so sure it _is_ working," Jack snapped. "Still hurts and now it itches, too. Huh, imagine that, Bunny managed to make something unpleasant even _more_ annoying."

"Heh, imagine that, Jack finds something that requires _patience_ annoying," Bunny deadpanned back. "Note my extreme surprise."

_Boys_. Time for some straight talk.

"Jack, if he's faded back into his element, there's not much we can do about it right now except get the word out about a violent, rogue spirit. Right?" Tooth looked with somber compassion at the young Guardian. Jack stopped glaring at Bunny and dropped his eyes, discontent, but nodded. "And be ready for the next time he shows up." Her voice had the steely edge to match her razor-sharp wings. Jack glanced back up with a half smile, which became a full smile when he noticed the wild glint of a warrior in her shimmering eyes.

She then looked around from face to face as she continued. "We should also be extra careful. And check in with each other every day. Jack, do you know _why_ he attacked you?"

He blinked. "No more than the usual seasonal territory tempers flaring, I guess. It's really stupid. I try to stay out of it for the most part- they don't usually stir themselves openly and it's not really my thing- but it's been getting worse lately. They'll use any excuse, or none at all."

"Lately?"

"Past 50-60 years? And then definitely the last couple years were worse." He began to shrug and then froze with a look of pain.

"Well, is time they are learning Jack Frost is not easy target. They get five for one in trouble if they try!" North's little wooden Wonder baby was buried a few layers deep at the moment. His Fierce face was on full display instead, complete with scowls and sword brandishing.

Sandy had been staring at Jack, looking increasingly worried. The boy was obviously losing strength, his face greying further and his balance getting worse as he wavered in place. And yet he still looked ready to spring into angry action and fly off, despite agreeing to Tooth's practical plan. Sandy knew there was still a war of impulse versus reason raging in the boy. It would probably be best to give him an immediate course of action that involved staying with one of them and doing something productive. Well. It was Monday somewhere, and Monday was Sandy's day.

The Sandman floated a little higher next to Jack, creating a sand cloud and patting a spot next to him. He smiled and gestured upward, a clock forming over his head. Time for them to work together. For a moment it looked like Jack might argue, but a subtle shift in the older Guardian's eyes, a gleam of implacable resolution, seemed to change the boy's mind. Besides, who said no to Sandy?

The blue fire of anger faded to weariness. Sandy hoped he could persuade Jack to sleep a little, despite his tension. The golden Guardian was receiving looks of gratitude from North, Tooth and Bunny as Jack hopped on the cloud beside him, seeming to relax slightly. They spent a couple more minutes discussing how to get the word out, before they wrapped up and Sandy's cloud began to lift higher into the air.

With a farewell to the others, Sandy and Jack turned and began flying into the sky. As they were rising, Sandy looked back at the others. And there was the same mixed message in the green, blue and purple eyes: trust and a plea to take care of their boy. Sandy nodded in reassurance.

Bunny crossed his arms as the two flew from sight in the afternoon light, heading east toward the night time zones. Yet more troubling questions. It was a good thing his meeting with Sephi was set for the following day. He didn't think he'd have the patience to wait longer for some _answers_.

_**-ROTG-** _

* * *

Jamie stood in the middle of his bedroom, taking deep breaths and thinking. His arrival home had caused a stir, but nothing major. His mother's initial worry over her son's scraped up appearance had turned to tender exasperation when he admitted he'd fallen and skidded a bit while playing with Jack Frost, but that a friend had helped patch him up. All technically true. "So now I have two children who can't seem to help falling down," she'd chuckled, checking him over closely. But when he seemed to need to hold her close for a few minutes, face buried in her shoulder, she simply rocked him and stroked his hair.

And now the boy was alone in his room, mulling over his earlier thoughts. The initial pain and terror was slowly transforming into determination. A Guardian of the Guardians.

_"No one cares about Jack Frost."_

_We'll see about that._ He moved to his desk, sat, and pulled out a blank notebook and a pencil. As point touched paper, the words began to form almost without direction, the ideas pouring out. Because this was a story he knew… in his heart.

_I have an invisible friend. Only… he's real._

_**-ROTG-** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH STUFF IS FORESHADOWED IN THIS CHAPTER! Did you catch it all? Guesses? ^.~
> 
> Because I know I will get these questions: yes, this is the first example of the effect of the memory veil thinning slightly- but it took a long encounter and Jack using his magic on them and a burning desire for revenge leading to immediate action for the spirit to have the motivation and memory to track Jack down within the same day. Well, and a lot of things are changing in the world of spirits right now… (slow reveals are my specialty?)
> 
> Also, I am wondering how to interpret the fact that Bunny, who is always the first to attack in a battle, left that to Sandy and North this time, to take care of Jack. Hmmm.
> 
> I'm sorry if the scenery isn't accurate. I did my best, but haven't been to Venezuela and the descriptions I could find of this location were rather vague. I unintentionally did more research about this asphalt lake than I would have liked. Which was interesting and ended up making me laugh. Why? Well…
> 
> Haha…
> 
> I had just thought up the idea for incorporating tar pits into this battle scene- just kinda came out of nowhere. So I looked up where there were active tar pits. Oh, perfect, Venezuela. Um, but I have to actually describe it, sooooo… what do these look, smell, feel like? And it led me to info on Bermudez Lake aka Guanoco Lake, one of the largest tar/asphalt lakes in the world, apparently.
> 
> Also called by another name… wait for iiiiiiit…
> 
> Largo La Brea.
> 
> The Lake of Pitch.
> 
> XD
> 
> Oh yeah, 'Pitch' is also a word for tar/asphalt.
> 
> Only I would unknowingly make such an obscure pun.


	18. New Life: Tea for Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this out today, but I'll probably edit it more later and repost. Tighten things up, make sure the vocabulary is varied, etc.
> 
> AHHH, I'm sorry, you're going to have to wait until the next chapter for the scenes with Sephi! But don't worry, you won't have to wait long. The next chapter should be up next weekend. :)
> 
> And if you want to blame someone, blame Pitch for being such a prima donna and taking up so much of this chapter. O_O Bad guys with their speeches and prancing about, you know.
> 
> Also, you're getting a LOT of world exposition and plot-y hints with this one.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

Jack's ability to think clearly was deteriorating rapidly. He _needed_ to think, to plan a way to find Wick and make sure he never hurt another child. Ever again. Maybe throw in a few other lessons.

Stupid headache. Anger was doing enough to cloud his thoughts, and the pain reaching sharp fingers from the back of his skull to dig relentlessly into his face until even his teeth ached shattered his ideas before they formed.

The soothing, swishing sounds of the dreamsand as it flew out in illuminating strands from the cloud he sat on with his fellow Guardian helped distract him from the radiating waves of agony that lapped from head to toe. But it was also just plain distracting.

He felt a moment's annoyance at Sandy's ten thousandth yawn of the hour. Why did the simple gesture make observers so sleepy?

He needed to focus. So he closed his eyes against the distractions, intent on replaying the scene with Wick, the Guardians and Jamie, so deeply imprinted in his mind. Trying to figure out what he could have done differently and what clues there might be for finding the Summer spirit…

* * *

**-ROTG-**

"Your heart is heavy."

Jack raised his brows at the first words out of his little sister's mouth. This place that looked like the woods by his old home was as bright as ever. Very different from the spacious darkness of the night sky he had been flying through moments before with the Sandman.

Great. So much for focusing- he'd just dozed off instead. _Good job, Jack, such a wonderful Guardian_.

"Well. Heavi _er_ ," she continued with a frown.

Jack sank to the ground in front of her, crossing his legs. She seemed to be able to read him so easily.

He ran his thumb over his fingertips, trying to think of a response that would put her at ease. Glancing back at her face, he saw her smile softly and distantly as she watched his hand movements. Then her eyes locked firmly with his, demanding honesty not consolation.

"So like you," Joyce spoke quietly, crawling into his lap. "Thinking how to comfort others when you yourself are hurting or scared. But," she put a hand to each of his cheeks, "You need to learn to reverse that sometimes. _Tell me._ What happened?"

Jack had begun to raise his arms to embrace her as he had before, but hesitated, then let them drop to his sides again. He broke eye contact, despite her palms against his face. His next words seemed forced.

"I hurt a child today. One I especially wanted to protect."

He said no more and Joyce bit her lip. How would she ever make progress healing this heart if it continued to receive additional wounds? It wasn't fair. Anger laced her next words.

"Nope. Don't believe you."

She grinned in grim satisfaction at his wide-eyed stare.

"Do you mind?" She was apparently asking a rhetorical question, because before the sentence was finished, she leaned forward and touched her forehead to his, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Jack felt a slight tug at his mind, similar to the feeling of sharing memories with the Guardians, but significantly more easy and subtle.

When her lashes snapped apart, the blaze in her chestnut gaze made Jack lean away slightly.

"First, _no_ ; not your- repeat after me- not your fault that Jamie got hurt. Are you an idiot? It was that terrible fire devil! Why are you so _stupid_?! No, I already know the answer, don't-" A flicker of sorrow danced through the rage. She took a steadying breath. Jack wore a bemused expression as he reached up to grasp her wrists and pull them from his face, sliding her hands into his as he lowered them. He felt her responding squeeze as she continued.

"Second, you need to take care of yourself, or I'm not going to let you leave!" She freed one hand and brought it up to the place where his throat had been damaged as if trying to feel it- but here it was whole and clean, not a scratch to represent harsh reality.

She was startled at the chuckle that vibrated beneath her fingers.

"Since when did you get so bossy, little miss?"

He laughed a little more freely as he scooped her up and twirled her around. He halted with a slight gasp when he felt a firm tug at his hair.

"I was serious, don't make fun."

"But I'm the Guardian of Fun, I gotta do my job." Jack smiled impishly at her deadpan look, noting the way her lips wobbled as if fighting a smile. So familiar. Like the swish of her bangs and the way she skipped and how she looked in the first moment of surprise and-

As Jack focused on those feelings of deep familiarity, they triggered a sudden rush of memories flashing through his mind and thundering through his heart. Seemingly countless times he had made her laugh, exasperated her, surprised her, held her when the world was frightening or when they were lonely. And all the ways she made him brave, filled him with hope, inspired him with her kindness and trust.

Suddenly he was holding her tighter than ever, his face pressed into her neck.

He couldn't her expression, but there was only a brief pause before her small hands were gently smoothing his hair, her silence confirmation of her understanding.

"See? You didn't forget me after all."

But she felt a small ocean of frustration well up once more, knowing it would take more than her affirmation- or even a very thorough and logical explanation- to make him believe beyond his guilt, that his loss of memory was not a betrayal or any fault of his own.

Too much that would counter her words had been built up and carved into his psyche over the centuries.

Joy swallowed past the lump in her throat and repeated her earlier command.

" _Tell me_. What did you remember?"

* * *

**-ROTG-**

Time passed but the day never got any darker. The Overland siblings trotted through the woods, nearly breathless as they recounted scene after scene of their past playtimes.

Joy laughed. "And when Thomas-"

"The Blindest of Fools!" They chimed in together, as if it were routine.

"-Called me an unsightly wee wench, you pranked him for weeks, and he never found out. I actually started to feel sorry for him… which meant I stopped feeling sorry for myself. Clever Jack." She snickered. Probably not the time to mention she had grown up and married said fool.

"You _always_ took care of me." Joy continued, grabbing Jack's hand and pulling him to sit beside her at last on a fallen log. "Even before you were a Guardian, you were the best Guardian ever. Please," She clenched his hand with both of hers, "Try to remember this."

"Yeah… I do believe this is what I'm meant to do. And I understand why now. But Joy, I still mess up a _lot_ , and sometimes really hurt peopl-"

"Oh, like a normal person?"

"...Since when are you sarcastic?"

"Since when do you wallow?"

"Isn't that what people _do_ when they fall in the water?" Provoked by her calling him out, his humor had turned inward, equal parts defensive and bitter and self-mocking, as he seemed to forget his audience for a moment. People usually didn't hear him, after all. But even as he was finishing the sentence, he suddenly realized he'd gone too far- how it would sound to her- and already had his hands up in apology by the time she gasped.

"That is NOT FUNNY!" Her glare was made glassy by the large tears starting to fall rapidly from her eyes.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry, that was awful of-"

"Yes it was! Do you know how long I cried and how awful I felt and how lonely I was and-"

Jack was kneeling on the ground in front of his sister now, his face pale and pained, with tears he would typically never have let her see currently mirroring her own.

"I know, I know, I left you alone and just- just went off without a care in the world, didn't take care of you like I should have or even remembered-"

Her scream of fury cut him off as she beat her little fist on his shoulder.

"No, no, SHUT UP! LISTEN! STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT! _I_ FELT SO GUILTY! You died- my big brother _died_ in my place! For a long time I thought everyone hated me but I HATED MYSELF MORE!"

"Joy!" Jack's face couldn't have been more horrified. "It was NOT your fault-"

"Well maybe I won't listen to you! Maybe I'll just go off and blame myself forever! Maybe I'll hurt the people who love me by holding onto that guilt, not questioning if it's right or wrong or- or helpful or harmful!"

Jack was silent, but his eyes were wide and tortured. For an instant, she wanted to go easy on him. But she loved him too much for that.

" _Yes_. _That_ feeling. Think about it."

Joy took a deep breath, the hardness in her expression, so unnatural on a face so young, eased a degree or two. And suddenly she saw the details- his trembling fingers, the tears coming faster, the unfocused expression. Her lips tightened.

She reached suddenly and pulled his face to her, tucking the top of his head beneath her chin. She turned her face until her cheek rested in the soft, unruly strands. His arms went around her and they just rocked together until the tears stopped. Joy's heart hurt. She had done this, hurt her forever-young brother. He had never had the chance to grow up. _She_ had grown up, had a full life. And yet here she was, with a lifetime of memories, contained in the physical and emotional form of the kid sister Jack had known. She'd become a mother, but now, in this childlike state, she wanted her own . To just, come _fix_ this.

"I wish Mamma were-" Her murmur caught in her throat with a jolt, as the realization of just how far off track they'd gotten zipped through her.

She pulled back, her slightly shocked face meeting his, which was now looking calmer and thoughtful and tired. Joy hastily wiped the remaining tears from Jack's face, an old motherly habit.

"Oh! I needed to tell you about Mamma and Pappa!" She butted her head against his. "Why are you so distracting?" And she gave him a slight kick for good measure.

He couldn't help finally grinning at her feistiness and the smudge of dirt on her nose, his energy returning somewhat.

"OK, Joyful. So tell me."

"You don't remember them at all, do you?"

A shake of the head was his automatic response.

Joy sighed. "You need to, or they won't be able to come."

"Well, isn't that a Catch 22?" Though he laughed slightly, she could hear the tension in his voice over a subject he was insecure about.

"A what?"

"Nevermind. I mean... I can't remember them until I remember them? Isn't that sort of impossible?"

"First of all, a certain careless brother once told me nothing is impossible. Something I believe now more than ever. Second, there is a part of you that remembers. A part no one can touch, with ties nothing outside of you can sever- not magic or death or time or anything. You need to find that," She placed a hand on his heart, "So they can find you."

If anyone else had been watching that moment, they would have noticed just how much the half smiles on both their faces resembled each other.

"I will help."

* * *

**-ROTG-**

Sandy stared at Jack as he landed his cloud on the beach. The glowing sand he had been riding lost its form and fell to join the identical substance that covered this particular island. The Sandman's worry grew as Jack still did not stir.

The winter spirit had been unconscious for some hours now. This would not have troubled Sandy at all, typically. In fact, he had been actively trying to wind Jack down enough to sleep since they had taken to the sky, and the gentle sway of the cloud, the whooshing sound of the sand, and Sandy's own repeated yawning seemed to have done the trick. Jack had fallen asleep.

But sleep wasn't the right word for it. Because Jack had gone somewhere the dream weaver couldn't reach.

Sandy placed a hand on the boy's pale forehead and closed his eyes, trying once more to figure out where his young friend had gone. The golden brow scrunched. Jack's mind was neither sleeping nor comatose, so whe-

His train of thought was interrupted as Jack finally shifted and took a deep breath. Blue eyes blinked open. At first they seemed still far away, not registering the concerned gaze of his friend. Then Jack sat up with a gasp and Sandy hopped back a small step.

The youngest Guardian leaned forward and his hands went first to his temples and then, with a shocked look, rested over his heart. He held this pose for a few moments, frozen in disbelief, then he turned to Sandy with a glad cry and an almost broken look of ecstatic relief.

"I _remember_ her, Sandy! I'm _awake_ and I _remember_ , I- this isn't a dream, right?!" He grasped Sandy's hands suddenly, and the dream bringer shook his head, both emphatic and bewildered.

With a laugh, Jack threw his arms around Sandy and hugged him close. The Sandman had no idea what was going on, but if Jack wanted a hug, he was getting a hug. When Sandy felt a couple of drops hit his shoulder, however, he leaned back slightly to see the boy's face. Jack quickly ran a sleeve over his eyes and cleared his throat, releasing his companion.

"Um, sorry, I know it's not- I mean, I just- I mean she's still _here_ , I can remember her face and voice and every freckle and expression and-" Jack looked back up at Sandy as if seeing him for the first time, and his ramble halted. "Oh. Oops, that's kinda gross, isn't it…" And he reached out to brush off some of the flecks of dried blood that had been transferred from his hoodie to Sandy during their hug.

Sandy glanced a bit sadly at the reminder of their recent battle, then tugged at the hoodie's blue sleeve, miming the removal of the garment. He then gestured to the nearby water, making a scrubbing motion.

"Uh, no, it's OK, I'll just get another one later-" Jack had started to look around in wonder at his surroundings as he spoke, and missed Sandy's pointed look at his impractical refusal. What Jack didn't miss was the bucket of water Sandy dumped on his head.

Sandy snickered silently at the boy's very startled gasp and spluttering cry of "Agh, Sandy!" The little prankster sent the temporary bucket formed of sand back to the gently lapping waves. When it was refilled, Sandy gave Jack another pointed look. The boy pursed his lips and froze the rest of the water still dripping from him, crossing his arms with a look that said, _try that again_.

Sandy's eyes softened, and he shook his head amused. With a wave of his hand and a responding look that communicated he was indulging a child, he sent a small stream of sand and water to scrub away at the front of the filthy hoody. He was careful not to touch Jack's neck, for although it was already looking much better thanks to Bunny's medicine, it was still quite raw.

As he worked, he sent a symbol of a question mark and three Z's Jack's way.

The boy immediately brightened, annoyance forgotten, and responded eagerly. "I was dreaming- I guess- of my sister. I remember so much about her now."

Jack absently dug his fingers into the sand as he began rambling off random tidbits and features of a little sister he had obvious adored beyond all reason. He couldn't stop grinning and just seemed so _happy_.

It reminded Sandy of another layer of mystery surrounding his young friend. Why had his own memories been lost? For so long? It seemed absurdly cruel to take all that the boy had had before and block him from building anything up in the future.

Sandy didn't get angry lightly, but a quite rage had been simmering since he had learned of these facts. And at least part of that was aimed at himself. Like Tooth, he could have helped Jack if only he'd paid attention. For truly lost memories, dream therapy was highly effective. Dreams, after all, connect the memories of the past with the potential of the future.

The dream weaver pulled back the wet sand and smiled to see not a single stain left to darken frosted blue fabric. Jack seemed to notice at the same moment.

"Whoa, where did you learn to clean clothes?!"

Sandy's expression shifted to exaggerated mystery, as he made a sand image of a frog, a shoe, a Ferris wheel and a mountain. He then clapped his hands together with a nod as if concluding a grand tale.

"Oh well, that makes perfect sense," Jack agreed with a laugh, instantly understanding the joke of Sandy's tongue-in-cheek nonsense response. "Those frogs, man. Brutal."

Sandy returned a look that clearly stated, _I know, right?_

Jack's smile turned sincere as he touched his now-spotless hoodie.

"Thanks, though." He looked around. "So what is this place? I saw it once or twice before, but not in this part of the world- are we _floating_ on the water?"

Sandy nodded, then gestured to the glowing island of sand around them, and brought his palms to his chest at the same time he created a sand shape of a house.

"Oh." Jack hopped up and looked around the empty, flat stretch of sand with even greater interest. "This is your home? Cozy."

Sandy smiled, calm, wise and knowing as he floated backward a few feet from Jack and landed with both feet firmly on the sand and his arms stretched out on either side, palms up. The winter spirit's eyes widened as Sandy's expression became intense and radiant, at the same time he began to slowly rise into the air… and the island sand behind him followed his assent with a deep rumble that shook the ground beneath Jack's feet.

A massive structure appeared, swirling lines of gleaming sand that formed towers and portals and courtyards and platforms, surrounding an organically shaped building that must have contained a hundred chambers. The Sandman smiled in satisfaction as his visitor watched in breathless amazement.

"Sandy… we have _got_ to enter you in a sand castle contest."

Sandy gave him a side-long glance, waving his hands in an almost lazy manner, oh-so-casually adding three additional fantastically detailed towers, flags of varying shapes and sizes that seemed to flutter in the wind on every spire-like point, and a rather enormous fountain right out front that pulled water from the ocean and sent it shooting out in shapes that seems to defy logic.

The Sandman laughed silently at Jack's amazed expression, then smiled fondly as the boy grinned and took of with the speed of excitement to play in the alternating jets of the fountain. He flew through the rapidly shifting streams, as if playing tag with the water itself. His laughter bounced in every direction.

The golden Guardian sighed. Jack was a wonder, and in many ways, one he understood almost as he understood himself. Centuries of mostly-silence spent exploring the world led a person to one of two things. Either cynical disillusionment, self-centeredness and a lack of compassion for the world that ignored them. Or, as in Jack's case, a skilled and creative imagination, tempered toward appreciation of the wonders readily on hand for those with the wisdom to see. The boy had used being Unseen to See all the better.

Jack hovered momentarily in place to look over at Sandy with a smile that was an invite. The Sandman shook his head in amusement and floated over to the fountain. He was really finding it hard to imagine ever passing up an opportunity to be with this kid. This friend. He struggled to remember another who had fit with him better or was more interesting and worth getting to know.

Sandy's grin turned mischievous as he approached the fountain and began throwing out more sand and changing what was already there, redirecting the shoots of water to create more of a challenge for Jack. The winter spirit gave a happily surprised whoop of laughter, and began flying and dodging even faster, but Sandy managed to douse him a handful of times anyway. Then it was Sandy's turn to be surprised when Jack waved his staff and froze several of the streams in whatever crazy shape they were forming, pausing them. They both took a fleeting moment to admire the artistic effect of their combined efforts, a latticework sculpture with curving lines of silvery ice infused with golden sand.

Sandy supposed he should have known it was coming. Jack suddenly adopted the older Guardian's slightly wicked smile and earlier technique. Instead of sand, he created rapid-fire ice chutes to angle the many streams of water to drench his friend.

Oh, it was _on_.

It took only moments for the pair to move beyond the fountain and into, on, over and through the massive castle. The Guardian of Dreams seemed perfectly capable of pulling water up through his sand anywhere. Jack was hard-pressed to deflect the countless attacks that came from every direction, especially considering the rooms could change at his opponent's whim, but he managed to get plenty of good shots in regardless. Sand and snow and snickers and smirks mixed with a flurry as they moved through one empty room, courtyard and tower after another.

While Sandy was having fun- a _lot_ of fun, in fact, this kid certainly lived his Center- he did have a bit of an ulterior motive. He had noticed that Jack tended to look up and around when searching for the next attack. Every strike from below seemed to come as a surprise and was dodged at the last minute, if at all.

This was a major flaw in the boy's technique, and one that had cost him dearly less than a day ago.

So Sandy steadily increased the number of shots from below, pulling more and more of Jack's focus to the possibility of a hit from underground. He kept a good number of water and sand streams coming from other angles, too, to ensure well-rounded training, but focused particularly on the area that needed work.

He felt a glow of pride as Jack responded remarkably well, adapting with the ease of youth and the skill of a seasoned athlete. Within minutes, fewer and fewer shots from below were getting near their mark. The Sandman grinned when Jack managed to shift back from defense to occasional offense, and only improved from there. He had gotten the hang of the game.

Sandy had overlooked only one thing. One very important thing. He was so caught up in the playtime that had turned into training, he forgot that Jack's smile did not always tell the whole truth.

The boy's grin and the glow in his eyes had led the powerful smaller Guardian to forget, in the heat of their game, that Jack was still wounded. The boy was very, very good at hiding the signs, in fact. Like a cat. And so when one particularly fast and hard shot of water struck the winter spirit directly in the chest, slamming him into a wall of sand, the gasp of pain hit Sandy as a shocking, rude reminder of the reason he had started the game in the first place.

As Jack tumbled to the ground, Sandy flew forward to catch him, a look of remorse etched into his round face.

Catching the winter spirit before he hit the ground, Sandy gently lowered him, holding the thin frame close for a moment before easing back with a concerned look. Jack had not yet hidden his grimace of pain, but Sandy was relieved to see blue eyes fluttering open.

The Sandman's eyes glittered with a moment of self-directed fury. How could he have let his boy get _more_ hurt? He let the moment go, however, when he noticed Jack studying his expression, trying to interpret it.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Ow!" As Jack's exclamation to Sandy's firm touch on his swollen shoulder negated the previous words, the dream Guardian gave him a sardonic and stern look.

Jack frowned stubbornly. "Just a little dizzy is all. Flying around this crazy maze."

Sandy folded his arms, unimpressed with the explanation.

Jack stared at him, the picture of misery and defiance, then dropped his eyes.

"You don't think I'm strong enough go after him, either, do you?"

The Sandman smiled in satisfaction as Jack brought up the true heart of the matter. The subject of Wick was the primary reason he had brought Jack here. Although having the newest Guardian experience his home and fill it with fun was a definite bonus, in Sandy's book.

In response, the lord of the sand castle placed a hand on Jack's for a moment, then made the sign to wait.

They were in one of the many golden-walled rooms, one entire side opening out onto a balcony with an amazing ocean view. Sandy moved about the room, and with a wave of his small fingers, all manner of furniture formed from sand, and many objects of different materials- thousands of things both new-looking and ancient- appeared and disappeared from every surface. They must have been buried in the sand, ready to rise forth at the whim of the sand master. Sandy seemed to be intuitively cycling through them, looking for something.

Jack had recovered enough for his curiosity to take over. He flew rapidly from one place to another, almost frantically trying to take in all the amazingly interesting things that continued to pop up and vanish. This continued for a number of minutes, Jack sometimes snatching up something to inspect it, only to find something else worth examining a moment later. He was holding up what appeared to be a combination whisk and hula hoop, trying to figure out how that worked, when he looked over at Sandy inquisitively. The golden gaze seemed to have been fixed on him for awhile now, eyes laughing, continuing to change out objects for his benefit alone.

Jack raised a brow.

"You've found what you were looking for, I assume? I'm guessing it wasn't this." He held up the hula whisk.

Sandy grinned, hands ceasing their movement and everything vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. He then held up a single key and closed his eyes in concentration.

The room shifted around them until it was both cavernous and sealed off completely. The walls solidified to a glassy sheen. Two large objects began to appear.

From the ceiling, a globe larger even than North's lowered until it was floating halfway between ceiling and floor. It was pure golden glass, shining with millions of tiny lights, a stunningly beautiful effect.

And from the floor rose a cylinder twice as tall as Jack and nearly six feet in diameter. It had a single small keyhole in it center. With no further drama, Sandy floated to the keyhole, inserted the key he had collected earlier, and gave it a turn.

They cylinder began to change shape smoothly, its sides turning transparent, until it formed a perfect hour glass.

Jack flew up to join Sandy in front of the relic. It contained hundreds, possibly thousands, of uniform glass beads, each about an inch across. The few in the upper half were glowing and mostly gathered in two frozen, floating clusters on opposite sides of the area, although a few handfuls floated freely through the remaining space.

The lower half of the hourglass, however, was nearly filled with them. Layer after layer of small glass orbs lying dull and lifeless, gave way to nearly three feet of sand at the bottom.

"OK, so… what are we looking at here?"

Sandy smiled, flew to the upper half, and gestured to himself and Jack before reaching through the glass and touching two free-floating beads that shone far brighter than most of the rest. They instantly morphed into miniature replicas of the Guardians of Dreams and Fun. The small forms were moving exactly how the originals currently were.

Jack flew up with an intrigued smile to examine them closer. And then things started happening.

The beads in the two large clusters began to shift within their bunch, although the masses themselves stayed in their current locations in the hour glass. A significantly smaller grouping that had been moving slowly through the middle area floated closer, picking up speed as it did, until it knocked into the glass directly in front of Jack and stayed there. The rest of the free floating beads seemed to be moving faster and more erratically, speeding up when they swooped by.

Jack turned to Sandy with a perplexed smile, only to realize the smaller Guardian was staring at him with something akin to shock. Sandy lowered his eyes slightly in thought, his brow scrunching in puzzlement. Then he moved decisively to touch the bead at the center of the clump stuck to the glass directly in front of Jack.

"Oh wow, it's Sephi. Heh, still striking her poses like someone is watching. Oh wait, I guess we kind of are, huh? Maybe it's all just in case of moments like these." Jack laughed, waving his fingers, but Sandy was too distracted to join in his mirth at the moment. He withdrew his hand and continued to stare at the strange behavior of the upper beads.

He floated lower, thoughtfully. He had never seen this kind of reaction before. What _was_ going on with his young friend, exactly? Was this more of the veil's effect? Then with a shake of his head, he remembered his task and began searching- first the upper half, then the lower.

As Sandy was pondering and seeking, one bead caught Jack's eye. He couldn't exactly explain why. It alone seem to float calmly, despite the seemingly random accelerations and decelerations of those around it. And then, it was as if he was seeing something else, something that wasn't quite there, but layered on top of regular sight. The calm bead was smooth. The smoothest. But looking closer, it was an illusion. Its surface was actually thousand of tiny, sharp spikes, that gave the appearance of a satiny finish. From each point was a line, a thread so thin it was all but invisible, connected to each and every other bead.

Jack blinked and the image was gone, a regular, unassuming bead drifting by once more.

Wind tugged at him slightly, breaking his train of thought. She was getting restless in this enclosed room.

And then Sandy tugged on his foot, pointing to the lower half of the hour glass. Jack dropped to a spot beside him, inches from the transparent barrier, and once again strange things started happening. The sand at the bottom remained still, but the dull layers of dusty beads shifted and pressed up against the glass, as if the winter spirit before them was a magnet. He moved slightly to the side and they followed.

Then with a snap of light, a field only visible for an instant surrounded Jack, and sent a wave of force towards the clingy beads. They settled back, dormant once more, as if they had never been affected.

Jack and Sandy stared at each other.

"You know, Sandy, you have some crazy stuff here. I think you definitely top North, and that's saying something."

The Sandman still seemed to be at a loss, but with a dismissing shake of his head, he reached through the glass on the lower half. He paused a moment as if searching, then found the bead he was looking for and tapped it.

A miniature Wick appeared, completely still. Jack's mirth vanished completely, the glimmer in his eyes changing from amusement to a laser-like fury. He pressed his hands to the glass, but apparently Sandy was the only one who could reach through. The golden Guardian could see a frustrated need to lash out building in the youth's slight frame, shoulders bunching and face tightening, until Jack slammed his palms into the glass.

"What is this? _Where_ is this?"

Sandy's expression was patient and reassuring. He floated higher, reaching through the top glass again. He activated the beads for North, Tooth and even Bunny, who was keeping a somewhat distant orbit around Sephi's cluster. Then he poked the bead for Leprechaun, for good measure. All of them were active, moving beings.

Sinking back to the lower half, he touched a few beads on the top layer. Each form was motionless. They looked dead.

Sandy held Jack's gaze and brought his hands together in a gesture of finality, lowering them slowly palms down as he closed his eyes and stilled.

"Ah." Jack, angry frown still in place, looked back at the unmoving beads that filtered down to sand. "They're dormant spirits. Faded."

The winter spirit was silent a moment.

"Where are they, though? Where do they go?"

Sandy simply shook his head.

"Beyond reach, huh?"

Jack pulled his hands away from the glass, still tense and unhappy. After a few breaths, however, his expression smoothed out. Seeming to come to a conclusion half a minute later, he turned to the other Guardian with a tired smile.

"I guess… that's for the best, huh? If he can't hurt anyone else from there. Thanks, Sandy, for showin-"

He broke off suddenly, his head snapping to look somewhere beyond one of the walls. Wind also seemed to be upset, swirling up little clouds of sand.

"Sandy, quick, open it up!"

Quick as a wink, the dream weaver transformed the hourglass back into an opaque cylinder and locked it. He turned the wall Jack was flying in front of into a balcony as the cylinder and globe sunk into the sand.

Jack paused, staring into pre-dawn sky, then shot forward just in time to catch a streak of green light falling through the air.

Sandy rushed over to see Jack holding a small fairy, glowing with a green light. The light was flickering, however, and the two larger spirit stared in deep dismay at the mangled form resting on Jack's palms. At least three of her limbs had been crushed and one of her wings torn. How she had managed to make her way here, Sandy couldn't imagine.

One glance at Jack's horrified face, and he didn't need to ask if the little sprite was familiar.

"Farore!"

* * *

**-ROTG-**

It was strange, Pitch mused as he stood looking up at the peak of the mountain in front of him. It looked much like every other one in the chain encircling the realm on whose border he now perched. Looming tall. Jagged. Frozen so solid, the black rocks themselves seemed brittle. But not a single flake of snow was to be seen, not on the mountain tops or hidden in the craggy shadows or floating in the rolling icy mists or falling from the dark grey sky above. The mountains were all bare.

That, however, was nowhere near as strange as the mystery of Jack Frost. What had started as a simple recon mission through Mon to build out an appropriate manipulation strategy had uncovered some rather surprising and not insignificant tendencies in Jack's behavior, that seemed to extend across centuries.

It was very strange that he had never marked the oddness or the opportunities of Jack Frost's annual habit of making his impressive pillars. Really, he could have used this to his advantage in _so_ many ways if he hadn't overlooked the boy all these years.

There was something off about it, and he was curious if the mystery stemmed from this frigid land.

Surely _she_ had something to do with it. Hm. He'd need to figure that out before deciding which direction to move this particular queen on his chess board.

A pleased and wicked smile spread across Pitch's face as a voice seemed to fall from the mountains themselves. Clear as glass and twice as sharp, devoid of any emotion, the voice spoke.

"You came later than I expected."

_Of course_ , she always tried to convince everyone that she was in control and two steps ahead of them. Irritatingly, she usually was. Pitch could relate. It was one of the reasons he loathed her completely.

"You know I love to make an entrance." He spun to face the direction he knew her to be, hidden in the mists, then looked away as though the barren landscape was more interesting than her arrival. It would unsettle her to realize he still knew exactly how to pin her location, and displease her to be brushed off with a glance.

"Yes. Always late. Just enough time to watch your defeat unravel.

"Congratulations on the demise of your most recent attempt to regain an ounce of consequence in the world. I see I was wise to allow Jack Frost to live, pathetic and deformed as he is. Ah, that actually makes it all the more fitting, doesn't it? You were defeated by the least of us."

Pitch's face smoothed as the nearly monotone voice spoke. He showed no reaction save for the intense glittering of his eyes. Gloating was all well and good with the simpleton Guardians, but he needed to handle this particular spirit quite differently. Oh, how he would enjoy crushing her, though, for underestimating him so significantly.

With this comforting thought, the pointed smile reappeared on his face.

"As usual, Queen of the Frozen Damned, you hit the nail right on the head," He drawled sardonically, as though her barbs meant nothing. "Your little minion is precisely why I am here."

"The deformed child is not mine. To own one such as he would be an insult to the Winter Court. Though we do not have our old glory, we do have standards." Though the words were of anger, the tone continued to offer no emotional expression at all. "But this you know already, Nightmare King. Your true purpose here is the Scythe."

At the pause in her words, Pitch felt a moment of inner gloating that he kept from his face. Though her fear was locked away with the rest of anything that resembled humanity in her, she had told him almost everything he needed to know.

Had she been influencing Jack, she would have lorded it over him, given his recent defeat at Frost's hands. And not only did she know about the Scythe, _thank you Hades_ , she believed herself so clever and prepared, trying to call him out about it.

Perfect.

"Do you seek to reclaim Winter, _Lord_ Pitch? After your incompetence cost us so much?"

At last two glowing eyes appeared in the mists that had been progressively creeping closer to him. Showing _she_ was not afraid in the presence of the King of Fear.

The last time he had seen her, her eyes had been a vivid purple. Now they were blood red. The tale of her legacy.

This did give Pitch pause, as he carefully considered his next words. For the spirit cloaked in mists not twenty feet in front of him was ancient. Powerful, experienced, intelligent and patient enough to clear anything in her path like an implacable glacier. If she had the will, she could destroy nearly every remaining independent spirit that still inhabited this planet.

"I have no interest in your Winter," he spoke smoothly, an edge of amusement in his tone, chin tilted higher and hands clasped behind his back, communicating right back that he thought her no real threat.

"Then you have no business here."

"I'm very entrepreneurial, you know. I have business of my own making. Business I think will be of interest to you."

She did not deign to respond, but neither did she leave immediately. Good, she was curious.

"Lady of Deadliest Winter, while you reject Jack Frost- and I commiserate with you on this- I think there is something you've overlooked." He held up a finger to make his point.

Pitch shifted suddenly into the shadows, his golden eyes the only thing reappearing in a crevice by the mist she was hidden in. Her eyes immediately tracked him as he continued.

"There is more to him than meets the eyes, isn't there? Have you found yourself wondering lately? I noticed you sent some of your frost giants to intercept him last week. Rather unusual for you to direct them toward something as insignificant as you claim Frost to be." Her eyes narrowed as he communicated in no uncertain terms that he was once again capable of watching her every move.

"Perhaps these pillars of his caught your attention?"

He spoke with mock nonchalance and didn't miss the telltale flicker in her eyes at the mention of the powerful columns Jack had been creating. But she recovered smoothly, acknowledging his words immediately as if to make them seem more inconsequential.

"Those are nothing new or significant. Of course I have noticed this habit of his, though I… haven't dwelt on it."

She paused, an uncharacteristic hesitation, and Pitch felt a thrill of triumph at having both surprised her with his line of conversation and for discovering the truth. So she _hadn't_ paid it any more mind than he had, and was also feeling just as off-kilter by that fact. He almost laughed as she began speaking a bit more quickly to make up for the obvious break.

"I have always commanded my people to stop him and put him in his place if they happened to encounter him. To send the right message. But if that primrose Persephone wants to enslave the deformed one simply to spread the influence of Winter, I'm not going to make much of an effort to stop her, am I? Rather poetic, having Spring defy Summer in my stead, after all her resistance."

"Yes, of course, all very logical. If it weren't for a few other details." Pitch didn't bother to keep the mocking from his voice this time.

He shifted again, to deep shadows on her other side. He had know this would be a difficult performance, without access to her emotions… assuming any still existed. It was infuriating. Nothing like the last Winter spirit he had manipulated. With Jack it had been remarkably, delightfully, deliciously easy. His fear had sung through him, a glorious flood Pitch could direct at will.

Here, he would need to choose different targets, groping blindly and look for outside signs that his words were creating cracks in the ice of her stoic, unfeeling demeanor. But Pitch had always risen to a challenge.

"He has Wind." His voice had taken on the seductive cadence that drew most listeners deeper into their own fears.

"She is foolish and fickle. Always has been. It means nothing." Still no emotion to the words. In fact, her mists barely stirred as they began drawing further from his shadow, repulsed and disinterested. But Pitch saw his opening at last, despite navigating 'blind' without a fear connection. He knew how to make that fog roil.

"Mm, perhaps. But it is a sad sign for _real_ Winter to be without its element."

He knew he had struck a nerve as the air snapped many degrees colder in an instant.

"And as ridiculous as the boy is, it is clear he has been _hiding_ power from you."

The grey sky darkened further, though the red eyes barely shifted.

"He took down a sky full of my Nightmares with a single blow. A force even the Sandman could not withstand. Ah, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

There was no answer to this question that wouldn't undermine the image of her power, and they both recognized the verbal trap. Her eyes burned twice as brightly as she chose her admission.

"I know all that is Winter."

In a split second he was pushing his advantage, creating towering shadow copies of himself to circle her and gloat as he pointed out her contradiction. "Oh, so now he _is_ Winter, is he?"

This was turning out to be more fun than Pitch had anticipated.

"In source of power only." She coldly refused to admit his point as her mists began to drift up the mountain side, escaping his dark circle.

"Really?" Pitch laughed at last, taking a solid form once more and grinning up at her, no longer pretending any deference. "And as you cling to your kingdom, you allow this power to remain in the hands of a _child_ that you do not control?"

There was a great clap of sound and the edge of the cliff Pitch had been standing on shattered and fell away in pieces. He barely had time to blend back into the shadows before he fell with it.

Well. He did have to admire her style, breaking the very ground beneath her opponent rather than a more conventional attack. It did not surprise him that she seemed to keep the upper hand in the struggle with Summer.

And in an instant hundreds of eyes joined the ruby ones and the cloud of mist expanded to cover the whole mountain. Her voice now shook its very foundation.

"You do not have power here, Fallen Lord. I feel neither fear nor anger. I need only control, and you are attempting to discredit my power in my own realm. This, above all, I will not allow. I have no desire for another active enemy, but I can guarantee _you_ will acquire more of them than you can handle if you stand against us."

Perhaps he had gone a little far in his enthusiasm. It did no good to defeat his own purpose for the sake of temporary gratification. He, too, knew about control. Far more than she ever would.

The gloating could wait. But first, an olive branch.

"Apologies." He stepped from the shadows and bowed to the many eyes. "I do have one offer I believe will make up for my… lack of civility." He chuckled as if chagrinned, but no response came from the cloud of many eyes.

Tough crowd.

The bulk of the cloud dissipated in an instant, dismissed, and it was just red and gold staring each other down once more.

She said nothing, her silence making the demand for her.

"What I was trying to suggest, Great Queen, is that perhaps it is time to reclaim _all_ of Winter's power for yourself-"

She interrupted, her voice continuing to carry no inflection, despite the strong words. "I hope for your sake that you are not going to insult me further by pretending to look out for my benefit. I see no point in listening to _recommendations_ before you divulge your angle."

"I almost wish I didn't hate you so much, our conversations are so _stimulating_ ," he drawled, his amusement genuine. "It is quite simple. For this one instant, our interests align remarkably well.

"I want Jack out of the way. No belief or power of Fun to make him stronger. A broken team of Guardians. And you, I assume, would like to keep every ounce of Winter at your command, now more than ever."

He was walking slowly and gesturing as he painted the picture.

"And as the means to this end involves a certain weapon I stole from Death," he caught her eyes, knowing she would love this part, "Together we can look forward to the day we both dance on Hades' grave."

The red eyes turned up slightly. He'd take that as a good sign.

"And most of all," He turned to face her fully, putting his eyes directly on level with hers, "We both know this looming war of Summer's, unchecked, will be the final nail in the coffin for all our kind."

Every curl of mist stilled. He definitely had her full attention now.

"So I have a plan, already in motion, that happens to give us both what we want on every count. All you have to do is act at the _right_ moment to reclaim what was always yours to begin with. Complete with a network of powerful pillars stretching around the globe as a ready defense and weapon."

He looked into her calculating eyes, waiting for a reply.

"Tell me your plan."

By the time he was finished she had moved close enough that the edge of her mists curled at his feet. Pitch smiled, certain she would accept. But then, there was still that nagging question of why neither of them had thought of anything like this sooner.

"I would ask why you didn't act resolutely on this matter in the past? He is more powerful than many you command. Why didn't you bind him to you?"

"The warmth he carries. It is a liability to me. _Compassion_ , in particular, is not something I will allow to taint my Court. I have seen it before, how it spreads through a population like a crack in the ice, leading to countless other weaknesses. Those who carry the rot I leave for the world to destroy. I do not waste a single shard of power on them. And compassion is that child's greatest weakness. He is filled with it to the point of _self_ -destruction."

"I am well aware. The idiot has been writing me _consoling_ letters."

"Trying to save your soul no doubt." If she had been capable of conveying emotion, Pitch was certain he would have heard scornful laughter in her tone.

"Quite."

But the momentary thrill of gloating gave way to a dissatisfaction. Pitch rather wished he hadn't told her this little piece of information.

Why?

It had been the right move strategically. She now knew that Pitch not only had the weapon, but a valuable connection to the pawn in their game. Yet it bothered him that she knew.

He wanted to keep everything about the letters to himself. Keep their content from the judgment of others. The connection a secret.

Pitch scowled at the unfamiliar lack of clarity.

He had kept the letters, of course. Read through them repeatedly in odd moments. They were a physical and mental representation of all the boy's vulnerabilities, useful source material. They also reminded him why he was doing this.

They were insulting.

They made him angry.

They were personal.

This last thought broke through his frustrated musings.

Had this become somehow _personal_? NO! No. Knowledge is power, and unplanned sharing of a secret, even an inconsequential one like this, was forfeiting power. Not wise with a dangerous and despicable creature like her. That was all. Of course it would feel... distasteful.

Pitch was ready to be done with this conversation. The ruby eyes still stared unblinking.

"That weakness is a risk to my court. It will be a challenge to work out of him, but I have never failed to crush charitable empathy in my subjects, where I thought it worth the effort."

Pitch simply raised his brows, as if her words had no impact. But he was particularly careful in selecting his next phrases.

"As I mentioned, my particular area of expertise is of great use in such an endeavor. You may be impervious to fear, Frozen One, but he is not."

"This, _Fear King_ , I know well." Though her tone was flat, the emphasis with which she spoke each of the following words could only be interpreted as supreme satisfaction. "I struck that chord of terror in his crippled heart when he was in his infancy, and the vibrations resonate still. _You_ , I am sure, have enjoyed their song. I have done your job for you.

"Tell me, which of us does he fear more, Lord of Nightmares? _You_ , I know, can tell."

Pitch's face had become completely blank, and he offered no words to match hers.

Judging by the angle of her eyes, she had tilted her head, observing him. Then came the command of a Queen.

"I will determine the management and use of him the moment I take him into my Court. Though I see no point in impractical acts of revenge, it would be a strong blow to his compassion if one he extended it towards showed him appropriate cruelty. It serves my purpose well, though I am loathe to have you skulking in my realm for any reason.

"And once I possess him fully, when his heart is frozen beyond possibility of thaw, all ties between us are severed. There will be no returning to old allegiances, struck by men too weak to maintain their own power."

Good enough for his purposes, Pitch decided with an internal sneer.

"Charming as ever. Don't worry, I look forward to never working with you again. But for this rare moment when our goals are so precisely aligned, let's agree to be disagreeable to the same set of people, shall we?"

A blink was her acquiescence.

Though shadow and frigid mist parted company a moment later, cold and dark were once again united in purpose.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellll this chapter jumped all around the dang place, didn't it?
> 
> Oh look, another plot line?!
> 
> Oh look, a whole bunch of exposition?!
> 
> Oh look, another bad guy? Wow, heh, lotta spirits with chips on their shoulders. Wonder why that is?
> 
> Yes, Sephi = Persephone. Can't believe no one guessed. :P
> 
> Do you remember where I mentioned Farore before? :D Hint, Jack was thinking about her in Australia…
> 
> My BETA told me a long time ago to remind everyone that I have a different backstory than the Guardians of Childhood books for many things. I'll put together a more in-depth explanation of this, post it on Tumblr and link it in my profile. But for now, just understand that it's not totally the same.
> 
> I wrote the scene with Jack and Joy, and afterward realized I liked how it developed for a reason I hadn't anticipated. I liked that it provides a contrast between Jack's old family and the potential new one he's been given.
> 
> The liberties between family members who have known and lived and grown with each other over time, versus the way the Guardians and Jack are getting acclimated with each other.
> 
> I just could not imagine Sandy without an awesome pad. While it sort of fits his Buddha-like personality to just float around on a cloud, free of possessions, it seemed better to recognize that he's an alien who has been around longest of all and probably has more cool things, experiences and secrets than any of the Guardians. I almost think of him like an anthropologist/archaeologist who has been able to study and collect things as they were actually happening (including dreams). Er, I guess that kinda sounds like the last Indian Jones movie aliens, doesn't it...
> 
> Also, I'm developing this headcanon that Winter spirits lurk around and talk cryptically before revealing themselves, and Summer spirits like to POP UP IN YOUR FACE like BAM, I'm here, before speaking (if they bother talking at all).
> 
> Next chapter will have two different scenes with Sephi, pillars and another letter, and depending on the length and tone, likely a scene with North and one with Tooth and Jack and maybe a little hint of Jamie. We'll see. I will try to have that postable by next weekend… can't promise, though, sorry!
> 
> Please let me know what you think so far?


	19. New Life: Double Vision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh. Slow exposition chapter. And really uncomfortable. I read some writing advice recently that said not to leave your characters alone too long because they start pondering and wondering. I think this is one of my weaknesses, and it's obvious in this chapter. The next one is much more fun, soooo… just try to get through this one? Lot of important stuff crammed in here. I predict you'll seriously feel sorry for our dear Bun-bun.
> 
> And guess what, I have the next two chapters almost finished, so we should be looking at a regular posting schedule again.
> 
> HUGE thank you to my BETA, dragonflyonbreak. Saves me everytime.
> 
> And you- your comments, reviews and all around support mean the world when I'm sitting there typing away.

**-ROTG-**

Bunny raced along one of his tunnels, effortlessly taking every twist and turn, leaving a random trail of perky wild blossoms in his wake. His destination naturally pulled on his senses, a steady reminder of his seasonal affiliation. With his direction set intuitively, the Pooka was paying very little attention to navigation and a great deal to the million questions flying through his mind as fast as the frost spirit they centered on.

The past few days had delivered a set of unsettling tug-of-warring impulses to the usually resolute Pooka. Had it really only been a week and a half since Bunny had dashed off with irritation to fetch a new and unwanted team mate so North could do his ridiculous induction ceremony?

Thoughts jumbled and out of focus, Bunny tapped into his meditation training and centered himself. If he was going to be talking with _her_ , he needed to be clear, controlled and careful. He began working through the thoughts from start to finish, his powerful bounding setting a rhythm to his mental process.

After Manny had shown them his selection for their newest Guardian, Bunny had spent an hour complaining and trying to talk the others out of what was obviously the _worst_ idea ever. Jack. Frost. Then Tooth had suggested _he_ be the one to go find the cold irritant. She had given him the responsibility of inviting Jack to join them, knowing he would take that responsibility seriously. She had made some comment about how he always seemed more positive about something if given the opportunity to take _action_ on it.

Well she hadn't been wrong that he'd accomplish the task. It just didn't occur to her how undiplomatic he'd be about it, how deeply his resentment of the winter spirit ran.

He wouldn't have been able to explain to that past version of himself why he was willingly taking on the unpleasant task of talking with _Sephi_ to seek answers that would help him understand that same person.

But recent events had changed everything.

Not only had the Guardians almost been completely annihilated by an old, long-overlooked foe- leaving the children dreadfully unprotected- they had been saved by that brave young soul Bunny had long scorned and thought worse than useless. The initial pricks of guilt when he realized how wrong he had been about that were mostly pushed aside for the more productive feelings of gratitude and hope for a better relationship moving forward. There would be plenty of time to take it step by step to build up an understanding of Jack Frost and how they could work well together. It would be tricky to adjust, but Bunny had been pleased by the progress of their first week.

But a single trip down memory lane had changed all that. It had caught the Pooka in the unrelenting and incriminating headlights of a reality check and battered his emotions. Being Jack Frost for a few hours had highlighted in so many ways how extraordinary the boy was at heart- and that he had screwed up with the kid much worse than he had thought. The underlying problems were deeper and more complex than he could have imagined.

And, irritatingly, he _cared_ a whole heck of a lot more than he had expected.

A flashing memory of exactly how he'd felt yesterday when Jack was snatched right out from under them and viciously attacked- the searing terror when Jack screamed, the horrifying scent of burning flesh- he had never thrown his boomerang faster. Even now, a helpless fury filled his chest. He had never wanted to feel like this again, but for some reason this pesky little Winter child…

Yes, fine, he cared about whether this stupid, amazing kid was okay, wanted to fix it if he was hurt or lost in any way.

Well, of course that was natural- he was both a child and a member of his team. Nothing unusual there.

But, thinking it through now, Bunny had to admit it went beyond simply wanting to protect him from danger. He wanted to see Jack grow stronger and more confident as he figured out how to build on his inherent Guardian nature. Wanted to give him every reason in the world to trust his new friends…

And definitely didn't want him to feel so _alone_ ever again. He cringed as he remembered the dark, empty feeling that had silenced Jack's music.

No one should feel that way, especially not someone so… argh.

Bunny ran flat out for a few moments as a need to _defend, defend_ , against something he couldn't even see filled his limbs.

Yet, strangely enough, accompanying every impulse towards Jack that directed him to _run, protect, heal, grow_ , there was a racing, relentless, erratic feeling that instructed him to hightail it out of there, _distance, distance, keep distance_ …

Bunny's meditation was almost broken as these two instincts yanked in opposite directions.

No.

Breathe. Heartbeat. Steady pace.

Concentrate.

Funny enough, it was the realization that Jack was experiencing similar confusion about how to handle all the changes that allowed Bunny to offer a rational and supportive strength when interacting with him. Challenging as the situations were to navigate, it was much easier to understand how to help Jack through those moments than to figure out what he should do with himself.

But… argh, how had he gotten the kid so wrong for so long? It wasn't just the veil- the others had been nothing but pleased to welcome Jack as a Guardian even without strong memories. He had to face the sour reality of his own prejudice, and try, with incomplete memories, to figure out how it had developed. And he had the feeling it may very well have stemmed more from his own past and seasonal alignment than from Jack himself, despite a blizzard or two inconveniencing his holiday.

Bunny felt a moment of vertigo as he tried to take in all the changes and unanswered questions up to that point.

And if yesterday had been any indication, those transformational events hadn't stopped coming yet. They were simply coming from a yet another direction now- another external problem. It turned out Pitch wasn't the only mounting threat out there. With this second attacker showing up only a week later, it was hard to believe they were completely unrelated, even though there was no strong evidence to link them.

It _could_ be coincidence, though- or some bigger underlying shift in the world. Jack had said things had been growing worse between elementals over several decades. If he thought about it he _had_ glimpsed evidence of growing tensions. There was that volcano in Iceland, countered by a deadly blizzard straight down through the Mediterranean and into Africa. There were hushed comments circulating at the Spring Summit in recent years.

This was extremely distressing news. It always seemed to start with elementals, but never stopped there. Bunny remembered the last big falling out Spring had been involved in, and the scars of a millennium ago still felt barely scabbed over, the ache still hollow. But things had seemed to be getting significantly _better_ in the past few centuries, every year calmer, greener, more refreshed and full of life.

Was it simply that the Guardians, focused on children and belief and their Centers, had been unaware of the mounting severity of the seasonal problems until they made themselves unavoidably noticeable yesterday?

Jack's memories and comments actually made this seem the likely explanation.

Bunny kicked his pace up one more notch as he realized he was nearing his destination. Strangely, it seemed the answers to both the seasonal aggression and his own misconceptions about their catalytic new Guardian might be found at the end of this particular tunnel.

Finally slowing, Bunny broke the meditation and focused on the surrounding environment. He opened a hole above him, already having used his keen senses to assess the world around his exit. Nothing was creating any vibrations on the ground and there were no sounds or scents on the air. Even before emerging, he knew no one was in the vicinity.

Bunny always arrived outside Sephi's solarium and approached its entrance as a respectful guest. Today was no different. But _something_ was different.

Hopping from his hole, he almost instantly noticed yet another indication of change in his life. For the first time ever when approaching Sephi's domain, the hothouse didn't seem like a hot seat.

Usually the sight of the massive, splendid, nature-filled structure instantly swirled up a host of insecure feelings. Loss. Insignificance. Guilt. Defensiveness. Dread at the thought of navigating the conversations and social situations he knew he'd encounter within. A sense that he was Different and only partially accepted by the other members of his Season. All of which he guarded against with stubborn pride and an unwavering resolve to continue defending his inheritance. The yearly Spring Summit was an unwelcome chore for Bunny, an awkward kind of family reunion where old grievances and gossip were abundant. But he had always faced these duties with grim determination.

Now however… he strode through the entrance with a confidence not just in his duty, but in his difference. He saw the sprawling, orderly garden for the beautiful, impressive place it was. But instead of viewing it defensively, his mind was caught up with someone else's joy-filled memory. A memory of how wonderful his own realm was in the eyes of a young Winter spirit... whose opinion for some reason seemed more important than those of a host of older Spring beings. The way Jack had _understood_ the mystical wonder of the Warren, loved and admire it, valued its very nature, and through his memory shared that understanding with the other Guardians, filled Bunny's heart with a kind of peace he hadn't realized was missing.

For the first time, Bunny viewed this heart of Spring without anxiety over the comparison others would make between it and his home. Somehow, it was now easier to go beyond _telling_ himself, to actually _believing_ unapologetically that the Warren's majesty was different but every bit on par with Sephi's domain. And in the minds of his fellow Guardians, the people who meant the most to him, his land was the preferred location.

Carrying true confidence rather than wary pride, Bunny walked with a calm buoyancy along the long path to Sephi's usual spot for meeting company. She never sent someone to greet him, and he recognized it was her way of putting him in his place, but right now he didn't care. It was kind of nice to take his time walking through this place, alone with the nature. He smiled, able to take in the refreshing atmosphere of spring in full bloom here without the usual internal struggles to cloud his enjoyment.

He did love his season- every version of it. The garden was arranged to represent the flora and fauna of different regions, each simply spectacular with its new life. How ridiculous to let his insecurities prevent him from appreciating it all fully. He chuckled softly to himself as he thought back several centuries. It had been decidedly more depressing, Spring itself had seemed on the decline. But he, Guardian of Hope, should never have doubted that it would be restored- that was what Spring was about, after all.

Looking around now… Sephi had done wonders. It had been gradual, but the past two or three centuries had been transformational. The improvement and stabilizing of their season had affected all Spring spirits. For Bunny, it was more than just the grass of the Warren getting a couple of shades greener. The flowers and plants he cultivated had been significantly more responsive to his guidance, allowing him to keep up with the ever growing demand of his believers and to create ever more impressive designs. The little temporal forest and field spirits that grew first into the flowers and then the eggs they produced, giving them their tiny legs, returned in greater numbers after every delivery, settling back into the roots that would pull them into the following year's round.

Bunny passed through the very center of the garden, home of its most vibrant colors, the glossiest leaves, and an always-empty platform right in the middle. The Pooka had often wondered why the lady of the home never entertained guests here, in its most impressive spot. It seemed like the kind of thing she'd do, always wanting to impress. It seemed a real waste not to use it. He paused for a moment to breathe deeply of the rich life that vibrated through the air here. Yes, definitely the best spot in the garden.

Well, there were many things about Sephi that he could explain and many that he couldn't. Given her excellent performance restoring their season, and the inherent tension in his relationship with her, Bunny didn't question minor quirks. They understood each other better than either would like to admit, and both made an effort to maintain a productive working relationship. And today, he was glad he had made the effort, knowing he could now go to her to help shed some light on the current conundrums facing the Guardians.

Feeling energized, he bound forward on all fours, ready to meet his season's leader.

Rounding a final bend in the path, arching branches of vines and other foliage giving way to a sun-filled clearing, Bunny slowed, stood upright and fought an amused smile. The embodiment of Spring was sitting by a table beneath an intricate white arbor, perfectly posed with her straight back, elegantly draping skirt, and pale green hands caught in a graceful gesture reaching for a nearby flower. He wondered how she always managed to arranged herself so exquisitely, as if expecting to be photographed every instant of her life. Vanity certainly inspired rigorous habits.

But Bunny knew it was probably something more than mere vanity. It had taken him a long time to see, but beneath the glossy coating there was an ingrained desperation and defiance in much of what she did. Coping habits formed in extreme times were the hardest to get rid of- and that's _if_ they were recognized and there was the _will_ to change.

With these sobering thoughts, he approached her with the serious yet casual dignity he carried into official encounters within the Court. He stopped before her seat and bowed his head briefly in greeting.

"Persephone."

"It's _Sephi_." The words were curt and Bunny realized he'd struck a nerve right off the bat.

As usual.

But then she offered him a cultured smile and motioned to the seat opposite her across the table set for an afternoon repast of berries and spring fruits.

"I was pleased to receive your request for a meeting. I'm sure you could use all the support you can get after that dreadful situation with Easter. It really is _so_ difficult when problems get in the way of executing our duties."

Bunny, just settling in the decidedly uncomfortable ornate garden chair, stiffened at the barely disguised criticism. Coming from her, it was a reprimand that echoed the past.

He wasn't going to let it get to him today, however. He was on a mission for answers. Besides… he knew why she acted this way, always putting up barbed walls. He had matured enough not to take it personally. Most of the time. If he remembered.

"Could have been worse, actually. And we Guardians have the repairs well under way- in the Warren and the hearts of children," Bunny spoke quietly and boldly reached for the goblet on the table in front of him, raising it to her. Sephi, caught by the protocol, raised her own cup in acknowledgment. For a beat, she frowned, realizing he had all but forced her to congratulate his handling of the situation. But then a genuine flicker of amusement lit her eyes, cutting through the tension, and she raised an eyebrow as she took a sip.

Bunny relaxed back into his seat and took a long drink, satisfied with his comeback. Hey, even if Sephi's personality wasn't sweet, her ambrosia was.

"Well then. I am curious to hear why the dearest moon-called member of my court wanted to chat. Unless it's simply to enjoy the pleasure of my company." She spoke the words archly, an unfamiliar mirth gracing her features at the surprisingly self-aware and pointedly self-deprecating words. A bark of laughter escaped Bunny, his ears pointing straight up in shock at the completely unexpected humor.

Almost instantly the animated look vanished from Sephi's face, leaving it pale and her eyes dull.

_Crikey, forgot_. Laughter seemed to cause her pain. Recovering from the strange moment of camaraderie she had initiated, Bunny extended a paw slightly, recognizing sorrow when he saw it. She glanced at it with scorn and turned her face haughtily to the side, continuing with words that refused to recognize anything was unusual.

"Of _course_ , a powerful Guardian of an Aspiration wouldn't need the assistance of his elemental compatriots. It really is lovely to have one of the _new_ kind of _Guardian_ spirits, tied _so completely_ to belief, in my own court. It grants a delightful _diversity_ to things. Very useful and quite exotic."

Bunny was silent, recognizing the old pattern. Cross even one toe into something resembling companionship, and Sephi's barbs would become spikes. Bunny got it. He recognized her drive toward self-imposed isolation.

The Easter Guardian sighed, scratching the fur on his chest, feeling his patience dwindling. He needed answers, but navigating other peoples' trippy insecurities was not his strongest suit.

A sudden growling at his feet drew his attention to the ground. He grinned. Perfect.

"H'llo there, mutt," Bunny growled back, lifting a small black lab puppy by the scruff of his neck until he was eye level. The growling immediately ceased and Bunny received a friendly doggy grin and lick to the nose, a tiny black tail almost wagging the whole body.

"Beri is looking particularly adorable t'day. Here."

The Pooka leaned forward and tossed the puppy gently to his hostess. He grinned unrepentantly at her scandalized look, which transformed into unabashed affection as she turned her spring green eyes to the little creature that immediately snuggled into her arms.

Beri had been Sephi's biggest soft spot for a millennium, Bunny knew. One that seemed to strengthen her enough to smooth away the roughest patches of her prickly personality.

The way she held him always made Bunny think of a security blanket. As if something soft and small was the greatest protection. He always figured it was more about _who_ had given her the dog, rather than the pup itself.

Now. A safe point of entry to steer the conversation back to relevant information.

"Speaking of elementals, what's it like? Being connected to nature that way?"

Bunny actually did want a _lot_ more information on this topic. To understand Jack and what was going on. Bunny had a strong connection to nature, but it was nothing like what he'd experienced through the winter spirit.

Further insight would also be useful for figuring out how best to train Jack. It _had_ been his brilliant idea to teach the boy some martial arts so he'd have a chance of defending himself. Which was a _normal_ thing to do for a team mate you planned to go into battle with. It was just basic duty and good sense, so no need to overthink that one.

Different senses and natural abilities required different training approaches to maximize potential.

But even more urgently right now, he needed to see if she would be able to explain the fire elemental's attacks on Jack, if the how's and why's of it were connected to elemental nature. And if she could offer any method of protection.

Sephi blinked up at him, but kept her relaxed posture, warm puppy held against her chest.

"Well. I guess it's the same as any spirit… you know how things are supposed to be with the things you protect. And usually when things go wrong, you can figure out how to do something about it."

"So, ya can sense all the elemental details of the world around ya to do that? How the air is moving, and the water, and the pull of the earth and the heat shifting about?" Bunny's brow was scrunched, trying to remember and articulate all the senses from Jack's memory. "The spark of life and emotion in people and-"

"Where _are_ you getting all this? Yes, if you wanted to glob all of us together you might get that mix." She was glaring mildly at this apparent stereotyping. "As a full Season, I can sense far more than lesser spirits, but even then that description goes too far.

"Wind is almost impossible. Just a vague presence. Really not worth considering anyway." She tilted her chin slightly higher, then continued. "Water, that _is_ in Spring's domain, as you know, so yes, I know where it is, how it's moving, where it's going and why. It is easy to direct, to keep the cycle going. Earth… kind of, but you're much better off asking mumsie. And no one wise messes with fire."

She leaned forward and glared more intensely with her next words

"Finally, let me make one thing _perfectly_ clear, if I perhaps haven't said it _quite_ enough times. I am an _elemental_. Of course I don't sense _or care_ about _humans_ and their _emotions_." Now she definitely looked insulted. Actually, it went beyond that. The way she raised her voice with these words and looked defiantly around her at their conclusion- it was like she was trying to convince the whole world.

Bunny crossed his arms and tried not to be too obvious in his eye rolling.

This, he knew, was a disagreement older than his existence- and one of the reasons he was Different. Belief was an attachment to humans. Most of the Spring spirits, who naturally were the majority of spirits he interacted with, basically considered this slumming it. They had treated him like someone nouveau riche as he had grown in power. There was no denying he had strengthened the season, though, while their powers had only dwindled, so there wasn't much they could say… directly.

"Aster." Bunny stiffened at the use of this name, and he adopted a disapproving frown that matched hers. "Why are you asking these questions? Why are you really here?"

_Ah, ta heck with it_. He was tired of beating around the bush anyway.

"Well, as ya probably know, we have our first elemental Guardian. Although, I guess not _just_ an elem-"

"Oh _yes_ , my condolences!" Sephi latched onto this with a fervor that erased any animosity she had aimed at _him_ and halted Bunny mid-thought. "I mean, that it's a _Winter_ one, that it's someone like _Jack Frost_ , what was Lunar _thinking_?! Better to give you someone _useless_ than a _destructive_ force." She stood to her feet and stormed to the other side of the clearing as she let what was obviously a great deal of bottled anger pour from her mouth. "Of _course_ he would ruin Easter, really you _did_ perform admirably well considering the _problem_ you were burdened with, such a cold, selfish, unfeeling, troublemaking, little MESS of a-"

"Now HOLD ON!" Bunny had shot to his feet and stormed right after her as she spewed this vitriol.

This was what he had thought he would find and was determined to correct. For centuries he had listened with a complicit ear to the general bitterness that swirled through Spring at the mention of Winter, knowing the dark past and agreeing with the general conclusions. Old, heavy pain struck him everytime he set foot in snow, though he always steeled himself for the encounters and faced them bravely now.

He knew winter, as a season of nature, served a vital purpose, but the pantheon of spirits attached to it were a hundred percent bad news. And because Jack Frost happened to be a very active spirit and one aligned with that particular group, literally by nature, the Winter prankster had received no end of verbal tongue-lashings every Summit. The accusations were always vague, though, and Jack was quickly dismissed, forgotten, as conversation turned to other topics.

And while Bunny didn't have specific memories with Jack before '68, he did recall a sense of irritation with whatever their encounters _had_ been, stretching a long way back.

But.

How much of that had stemmed from his own negative attitude and preconceived notions going in, rather than Jack's actions?

He remembered all too clearly how convinced Jack had been that he was going to be judged by the Guardians when he was hauled in front of them. Not just judged, but found guilty by default, and mocked and tormented because of it.

It had been glaringly obvious to Bunny that that had been exactly how he _had_ approached Jack. And he took full responsibility for it.

But it was becoming equally obvious that this was a much bigger problem that seemed to span a whole Season… or more. Which would explain that 'paranoid' mindset he had experienced when living Jack's thoughts. The idea sickened him. He tried not to imagine the kinds of cruel encounters Jack may he been exposed to, for no reason other than the Season the young spirit was created into. No wonder he had thrown a fragile barrier up to try to protect himself from caring what they thought or said.

Sephi was looking mildly affronted at the interruption, but more taken aback then anything. Shocked that someone would speak up for the specific spirit she was viciously degrading.

Bunny's frustrated and impulsively aggressive side almost won out. He wanted to jump in and fight. Defend. But it only took a thought of _who_ he was trying to defend to get back on a rational track. Hadn't reliving his encounter with Jack in the globe room shown him just how much damage could be done when he allowed anger to control his words? And what was best for Jack here? That thought calmed him somewhat. While temporarily gratifying, throwing back words as careless and cruel as hers would only make a situation like this worse and close off vital communication channels.

Besides- he was as much at fault as she was. Ah- there, that was a good starting point. _We_.

"We were wrong about him. An' I'll not be listening ta words against him. Not anymore." Firm, offering no room for a casual counter statement.

Beri began to whine slightly as Sephi's hold instantly tightened severely around him. Bunny couldn't quite read the expression on her face. There was an overlay of outrage, but…

"He's not like the rest of the lot. I admit ta being blinded by the reputation and the pranks and- and old anger, too, but b'lieve me. Jack Frost is a _good_ in this world, and it's _not right_ to warp that cuz we can't see straight.

"It's… a Guardian thing, but I've seen- _felt_ \- first hand that he has a good heart an' good intentions. Better- better than my own, quite possibly. Crazy, selfless mug… Just… doesn't always know the right way to, to act on them or see why certain things are important."

Bunny's scoffed slightly at his own words, eyes falling, as his dialogue turned inward.

"And how would he know, it's not like there was anyone ta show him. How would he learn how to handle things the 'right way', 'specially-" He looked back up and gestured towards Sephi with a paw, "If it didn't matter _what_ he did, it was wrong by default. Y'see how tha' becomes a cycle? An' it took me one glaring example after another to see th' obvious.

"He genuinely _cares_. It's not just some selfish impulse for attention, he cares about the children like ya wouldn't b'lieve."

Sephi's eyes, fixed on his face unblinking as he ranted, flicked to the side at this.

Ah, right, she didn't care about that kind of thing. Then-

"Well, did you know _he_ actually seems ta appreciate _Spring_?" Bunny's own astonishment infused his voice as he gestured with both arms, then his eyes became distant, trying to recall… "In fact, he mentioned… there was something in there about helping with Easter, but I don't remember anything of the kind…"

"He told you he helped with Easter?" Sephi's face had grown tight, her lips thinning.

"No, not… directly… but tha's not the point. We just assumed he was in the way, right? I mean, what did he _actually_ do ta Spring, aside from floating a late blizzard occasion'ly?"

He halted his words when an awkwardness entered her stance at his comment. Weird. But he took her lack of protest as a good sign. He lowered his voice and relaxed his stance, tone becoming more coaxing than accusing. "I mean, before… _before_ , wasn't there once a strong bond b'tween Spring and Winter? Must mean there's _hope_ , it doesn't _have_ ta end that way with every-"

And in a heartbeat the Spirit of Spring closed off completely. She dropped Beri, who landed on his feet and stared back up at his mistress with puppy-like anxiety. Bunny wasn't sure what he was seeing in her eyes. There was a chaos swirling there, and something incredibly fragile. On very rare occasions, Tooth had a similar look- and Bunny always knew better than to press further in moments like those. But with Tooth, it was always followed by a strong and wise look, and here there was none of that.

"I see. Of course _you_ would forget, just like you didn't _notice_ the first time. I admit, I'm surprised you can disregard your people's slaughter and Ostara's sacrifice like that- but then, you were so _young_. Safely out of the way, _sheltered_. I'm sure it's all just a vague blur for _you_. So easy to abandon the truth, think you know better. But the rest of us still feel it in every bone and breath of our being."

Bunny's heart fell and swirled with pain at the memory and accusation she leveled at him- she hadn't brought it up directly in centuries, certainly not since he became so important to the Season. And suddenly, he stood once more before the screaming black hole these memories still tried to suck him into. He managed, with great effort, not to fall.

Back in the moment, he tasted the bitterness of disappointment, knowing there wasn't any salvaging of this conversation now.

So much for the direct route.

And Sephi wasn't done yet. In fact, he had never seen her face look so frigid. The sounds of birds chirping and water flowing and leaves rustling had stopped completely. She had spread her presence into every part of the environment here and leveled it at the Pooka, bearing down with an invisible pressure he felt in his core.

"Winter is darkness and cruelty."

His ears began ringing with the force of her words.

"Any other shifting illusion they present is a _lie_."

Her eyes narrowed and she swallowed before hissing out the next words.

_"Always_ a lie. _Always_ cruel. _Always_. The moment you forget that, _all is lost_."

A great weight descended, and Bunny struggled to remain standing upright.

"Winter's use is its _end_."

Sephi snapped a fist closed, a primal, wild ferocity lighting her features. Bunny gave a jolt of horror at the motion, as he realized what kind of extreme measures she was very likely capable of.

"Its _only_ purpose is to make way for our presence, as is the _natural_ order of things."

Bunny felt a sharp slash of power snap out from her. He flinched at the sensation as hundreds of buds on the trees and bushes around her exploded violently into full bloom.

"We are the sustaining, living Spring."

The leaves and petals on the burst flowers trembled and began falling and shriveling. Bunny felt their shock and exhaustion at having been jerked straight to the end of their natural cycle.

"You _will not_ make us weak by exposing us to Winter."

Sephi's command was like a thunder clap ringing through the garden. For a moment Bunny felt only numb blankness.

"Ice must always be broken by our Thaw."

It was the word 'broken' that snapped him back. Because they weren't just talking about ice here.

But the coldness with which she recited the words, practically chanting them like a religious edict, drove the point home like a hammer to a nail. In the grandest irony, she had allowed Winter to freeze her heart. _There was no thaw here_.

And no open discussion.

The horrifying ugliness of her words and the severity of her presence made it difficult to speak. But Bunny was nothing if not unstoppable in his determination. Her words may have been icy but they lit an indomitable fire in him.

If Winter was off the table as a topic, there was only one other way to broach the urgent subject.

"And what of Summer?" His tone was somewhere between a snarl and a growl, fighting her controlling power. "A fire spirit just attacked _Jack_ -" He spoke the name distinctly, pointedly, bringing the person rather than the Season back into focus, "Twice in one day. And from what _Jack_ -" Again he punctuated the name. "-told us, it seems there have been increasing problems with the Seasons in general. You _know_ it's come up in conversation at the Summit the past couple years."

She was silent, but her oppressive being began to receded. Bunny took a deep breath as his lungs became less constricted. Sephi was looking distant and anxious.

"Attacked _twice_?"

She paused again, brow furrowed. Bunny raised a tentative ear, wondering at her concern. She noticed and straightened further, immediately back in one of her poses.

"Not that I care about _Frost_ , but yes…" She smoothed her skirt. "Greater problems between Summer and Winter directly impact us. Spring has always acted as a buffer- and is the first to suffer. Yes. There have been more aggressive tendencies, as you know. But… I've handled it. Look at what has been accomplished in recent memory."

She raised her arms to gracefully indicate the burgeoning flora and fauna around her. Life that a few centuries ago had been withering- nearly dead.

Without warning, she jerked her arms back inward toward her chest and turned to look over her shoulder, eyes wide. Just as suddenly she fixated back on Bunny. Her look became all that was proper and prim and passive aggressive.

"Thank you for reporting your concerns. I will continue my _exceptional_ management of matters for our Season. Now, I am expecting other company. Good day."

Bunny didn't break eye contact, barely checking the frustration and fury that was fighting for release as she brushed him off. Putting up barriers to his duty and the well-being of his team. He was _done_ with her for a long time.

Wait, no.

It was a testament to the strength of Bunny's will that he chose his final words carefully, speaking directly and reasonably, refusing to match her malice with his own.

"Whether we want to or not, I can't really see the Guardians dodgin' whatever's building, now we have an elemental on the team. An' I'm inclined ta b'lieve Manny knew what he was doing with that." Bunny took a deep breath, a momentary meditation, then faced Sephi more fully, solid and unmovable. "Consider us an ally in tryin' ta keep the peace. Would appreciate if ya keep us informed- an' I'll do the same. By my oath to Ostara, I'm a defender of Spring. And now we Guardians have one of our own ta protect."

Sephi folded her hands. Bunny folded his arms, waiting for her response. She frowned. He frowned. Then she nodded very slightly as she looked away and flicked her fingers at him in dismissal.

Bunny rolled his eyes as he turned away, but flipped back around as he remembered one final clue he hadn't asked about.

"What about music?"

She gave him an irritated, questioning look.

"D'ya hear or sense music or anyth-"

She cut him off, shaking her head in a quick response to get rid of him. Although the sulkiness did not leaving her face, her eyes became distantly sad.

"The arts are long gone. As you should be, before my guests arrive."

Bunny tried not to too obviously stomp his way down the nearest path out of this _madhouse_.

Because it certainly was making him _mad_. Her non-answers and bullying and condescension, the grotesque mindset and words, had infuriated him to the point that he could no longer admire the visual beauty or fine fragrance of the place. Everything here just seemed… ugly right now. Superficial.

One thing was for darn sure- he was keeping Sephi and those who shared her vileness as far from Jack as possible.

And he was going to do more than that. He hopped to all fours and ran for the exit, releasing some of his pent-up energy. He was going to _work_ on his Season. It may be technically beautiful to look at right now, but the core had revealed itself to be a rotten, twisted thing. Working ancient animosity out of a cohort of spirits wouldn't be easy, it was going to take decades- or more likely centuries. And an unnerving amount of patience. And a complete willingness to be utterly unpopular. It would doubtless be a painfully gradual warming.

But he wasn't going to rest until Spring was a people he could be proud to be part of again.

Bunny arrived at the northern exit, frustrated that he seemed to have more questions now than he had arrived with. Jack, it seemed, was more of a singularity than he had originally suspected. What did it all mean?

The tense Pooka stepped out into what seemed like the freshest air imaginable, leaving behind the oppressive bitterness that permeated the hot house. His steps faltered for a moment as he realized he wasn't the only spirit out here.

Demi, her rich chestnut face sweet and soft and slightly wrinkled with middle age, looked at him with mild surprise.

"Oh, Bunny, how good to see you."

The agitated Spring spirit felt layers of tension lift at the sight of the kind Autumn lady. She had that effect on everyone, it seemed, able to sooth and comfort with a gentle smile that lifted the hearts of those around her.

It was often said of Autumn, that hers was the saddest story but the sweetest song. Too poetic for Bunny's practical taste, but he could agree with the sentiment. He seldom saw her, but it was a joy when he did. It was hard to imagine she had a daughter like Sephi. They didn't even look particularly alike- Demi's form was taller and curvier, her vibrant red hair far brighter than Sephi's pink locks, her amber eyes always gently aglow. She held herself with a solid but unassuming natural grace, no hint of artifice.

"Demi. Given recent events, I'm glad to see you well an' in one piece."

She had probably been coming to see her daughter, but in that welcoming way of hers, where she made everyone feel they were worth her time and consideration with just a simple look and gesture, she invited Bunny to walk with her in the woods, a listening ear at the ready.

**-ROTG-**

Anyone listening could hear that Wind was upset. Shrieking whirls of air lifted streams of sand into momentary vortexes that danced around the two Guardians bent over Farore's small, damaged form.

"Who would do this?" Jack's pained question went unanswered as the green fairy remained inert in his palm. Farore was an extremely elusive and peaceful little spirit- the only Winter being he felt safe with, in fact.

A warm golden hand landed on his pale wrist, calling Jack's attention to the Guardian of Dreams who hovered beside him. Sandy made an image of Tooth and Bunny- both skilled healers. Jack glanced back at Farore in alarm as her light dimmed further. Without additional thought, he closed his eyes and reached deeply within, pulling a cool, calming trickle of gentle power into his hands. Jack blinked his eyes open, slightly surprised as a connection with the little fairy immediately formed.

Whoa. That was easy. Well, she _was_ a Winter spirit. He'd never tried making a healing connection with one of his 'own kind' before. Mostly he was focused on staying alive himself when in their company.

Clearing his mind of these distracted thoughts, he focused on the urgent concern. Tiny limbs and wings glowed with a silvery blue light as they began to straighten and knit back together into their proper shape and condition. Jack's head swam with the effort, but it was considerably easier than tackling his own injuries.

The connection faded as the basic healing was completed. Jack sighed in relief. Now it would just be a matter of allowing her to rest in a safe place.

Jack glanced up at Sandy as he tried to think of options. He grinned at the look of astonishment on his companion's face.

"Pretty cool, huh?" He felt a moment of satisfaction at the obviously appreciative way Sandy observed Farore's improved condition. Pale cheeks glowed faintly pink at the impressed nod. Jack tried to push away the awkward, negative voice that whispered how pathetic it was for such recognition to mean so much to him. And that it wasn't really deserved, anyway, and wouldn't last…

"We should take her to her sister," Jack spoke a little louder than usual, trying to drown out silent voices. "She'll be safest there, and cared for as she recovers. Nayru will know what to do. I can't think of anywhere else better, especially since we don't know how this happened or if she's still in danger."

Sandy stared at him for a moment, then nodded and formed an image that was obviously Nayru.

"I figured you'd know about them," Jack sent Sandy a knowing look. "I'll bet you know just about everyone, huh? Been around awhile- How old are you, anyway? Should I call you gramps?"

Sandy returned Jack's impish grin with a raised brow and condescending pat on the cheek. Intuitively, they both rose and began moving, Sandy back into his castle and Jack up and over the edge of the balcony. They turned back to each other in surprise.

Sandy gestured to his hour glass, once more rising from the sand, and formed an image of a map with X marking the spot.

"Oh, I already know where Nayru is. She's always near Sephi."

Sandy gave him a 'yeah, so?' look as he missed the connection. Jack chuckled as he carefully tucked Farore into his hoodie pocket for safety.

"Well, even though her garden frequently moves around, I always know where Sephi is. Always have. Don't ask me why, I have no clue."

Actually, he did have a _guess_. An uncomfortable one. It was simply his role to serve her- an ingrained nature or something. Just like the Spring spirits, except he was 'Winter Serving Spring,' a name others sneeringly called him. Apparently they thought it ironic. This never really bothered Jack, as it was better than simply being Winter and… a mockery of a purpose, even one so temporary and painful and personally unfulfilling, had been better than none at all. Although it hadn't connected him with children- or anyone else-, and he hadn't made much of a difference to anything, and he was an unwelcome burden on Sephi, it was _something_. And it left him free most of the year, which he both dreaded and craved.

Sandy looked thoughtful at this news, but floated up beside him without further ado.

The enormous sand castle sunk back into the island as a pair of shooting stars, trailing silver and gold sparkles shot across the night sky with the silver light just slightly ahead, leading the way.

**-ROTG-**

"At least it's always pretty to look at," Jack commented as he and Sandy stood in front of the southern entrance of the seat of Spring.

Sandy smiled amicably at Jack, but he was watching the younger Guardian very closely. Something felt very off to him. It had started off with a niggling question when Jack had explained- or rather _hadn't_ explained- his intuitive connection to Spring. The sensation had grown to mild concern when Jack hadn't smiled the whole time they were flying, barely showing even a hint of playfulness for the duration of the trip. He would have written it off as worry for Farore, but Jack's tension had only grown as they neared their destination.

The boy's reluctance to move toward the entrance took Sandy's feeling straight from concern to worry.

Sandy leaned back startled as Jack sank into a crouch beside him, arms crossed with his staff cradled close to his chest.

"She doesn't like me. Just so you know."

Sandy made the shape of Nayru again, surprised.

"Hah! No, Nay's as great as Farore. I mean Sephi, and she's _kind of_ the one running this place. It's like how Bunny was before. I bug her."

Sandy gave him a deadpan look.

" _Mostly_ not on purpose." Jack grinned. Then he sighed. "I think it's a Winter-Spring thing. Nayru's an exception. Most of them just plain find me offensive on sight." He looked back to the building, his face becoming as smooth and unexpressive as the glass he looked at.

Now Sandy was really bothered. Jack said this _way_ too casually, as if accepting this prejudice as a normal fact of life. The same way he'd dismissed Wick's words and attacks against himself, only upset that Jamie had been harmed.

Sandy smacked a fist into his palm, an unusual fire in his eyes, drawing Jack's attention back. He pointed at the frost spirit's still red but quickly healing neck, then tilted his head toward the hothouse. Jack looked puzzled for a moment, then shook his head.

"Oh no, she doesn't attack me. None of them do. They just stay stupid stuff sometimes. They don't hurt me or anything."

Jack spoke the words with complete honesty, blue eyes clear, connecting with gold. For some reason, Sandy was not particularly comforted. Jack didn't seem to have a lot of sense when it came to his own well-being. The winter spirit shrugged as he stood, only wincing slightly with the movement.

"Well, they may not lay out a warm welcome, but we're just making a delivery, anyway." He smiled over his shoulder at Sandy as he walked toward the arched stained glass door in front of them.

It opened before they got there. Sephi stood in the doorway, panting slightly, the petals of her teleportation still falling around her. Her face was twisted into a snarl. Jack never knew a snarl could look elegant, but here was proof. It was kind of scary.

"How _dare_ you show up without a summo-"

"Farore!"

A blue blur blazed over Sephi's shoulder and halted inches from Jack. "I just felt- Where, where, what-"

Jack's face morphed from the empty but somehow tired look he'd worn when facing Sephi's anger to gentle compassion at the fairy's distress. Staff resting in the crook of his elbow, he held up one hand consolingly as he reached into his pocket with the other and drew forth the sleeping green fairy.

"It's okay, Nay, she's just resting. Your sister's had a rough day, she was in pretty bad shape when she came to us. I think she'll be alright now, though."

The small blue spirit had dropped into Jack's hands and immediately cradled her sister's body to her.

"You- you healed her Jack? After, after everything we, I-" Her words were lost in tears as she began sobbing into Farore's shoulder.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, little one. You help me like that almost every year, it was the least I could do." Sandy frowned warily at Jack's words, trying to decipher them.

Sephi, who had been stunned into silence at this turn of events, finally spoke again.

"Yes, as _usual_. Always the _least_ you can do." Her tone was waspish, and Jack shifted uncomfortably, then tuned her out automatically as he talked with Nayru, telling her what little they knew.

As the Spirit of Spring finished her sentence, she noticed that Jack had not arrived alone. Her face tightened at the sight of the Sandman, and her shoulders tensed as he leveled a severe look in her direction before studying Jack's face for a reaction to her words. And when no reaction came, he frowned even more deeply.

Sandy looked back at her with an deeply disapproving look. He floated up and put a hand on Jack's shoulder, eyes locked with hers the whole time. Jack jumped slightly at the contact, but spared him only a swift and puzzled smile before his attention returned to the fairies, continuing a murmured explanation to Nayru.

Sandy gave Sephi an unmistakably meaningful look.

Sephi's resentment was palpable but her posture became defensive as she broke eye contact with the small Guardian and glanced at Jack. "Well, aren't you just Mr. Popularity these days," she muttered.

Her face froze and then turned squeamish as she finally took in the boy's appearance.

"What _did_ happen to you?" Sephi eyed his throat, her new-leaf-green skin turning a sicklier shade.

Jack finally looked up and Nayru gasped as she, too, noticed his condition.

"Ever heard of Wick? Cranky pants of a fire spirit? Few logs short of a bonfire? Apparently he doesn't like me."

"Can't _imagine_ why. And you should _know better_ than to _call attention to yourself_ out there." Sephi looked at Farore. "Seems _your kind_ is awfully good at attracting _problems_."

Jack's eyes became a colder blue, as she turned her malice to the little fairy. His tone emerged flat and chill.

"And _taking care_ of those problems. Wick is out of the picture."

He let the heavy words sink in and didn't blink for a few more beats, enjoying her shocked look. Then he moved away from Sandy and walked closer to her, not bothering to hold back the radiating coldness he carried with him. When Nayru shivered in his hand, he sent her a quick apologetic look as he continued walking toward her mistress, and clamped back down on the outpouring of Winter. When he looked back up it was his turn to feel shocked. He had arrived before Sephi and she looked _terrible_.

Her complexion had become deathly pale and clammy. She had taken half a step back and extended her hands in an ungraceful, broken gesture, her shoulders hunched and her face locked in a grimace of terror. Her eyes were dilated and glassy and panicked.

Jack instinctively took a step back, giving her room. She looked so afraid. He felt ashamed and confused at having elicited such a reaction. She began breathing again in short gasps, a tremor wracking her body.

Then a rage like he'd only seen once before filled her entire being. She released a cry of fury as she pulled back her fist, preparing to strike him. Jack unthinkingly braced himself for the blow, shifting his hands to better guard the fairies he held.

A golden whip wrapped around Sephi's wrist and halted the movement. She froze for a few seconds, face wild, then the moment was broken and she blinked as if clearing her eyes. She looked around as if taking in the situation for the first time. She lowered her unfocused eyes to the ground, at first not breathing at all. Then she inhaled deeply. Slowly, as if putting everything together piece by piece, her form, features and expressions reconstructed themselves into the graceful, composed, controlled state she always seemed to maintain.

When she looked back up into their staring faces, she straightened fully.

"You need to leave."

No insult or passive aggressive power play.

Jack nodded once and carefully lifted his hands, extending their precious cargo.

"Farore will be safe with Nayru. And you. Right?"

Sephi's mask almost cracked as she leaned away from the small Winter fairy, arms going behind her back.

She was _afraid_ , Jack realized, stunned, as Sephi refused to touch the green light. Afraid of something as beautiful and harmless as Farore. He looked down and saw Nayru giving her mistress a look of both pity and disgust. Struggling under the weight, she lifted her sister by herself and took to the air, flying slowly, unstoppably, toward the entrance to the contained Spring paradise. Without turning around or looking at Sephi for confirmation, she called back, "She will be safe and cared for here. Thank you, Jack."

Sephi kept her jaw clenched, straightened her shoulders, and backed away until she was through the doorway behind her. She reached out a hand, fingers trembling, and closed the door. Through its colored glass, they could see her instantly vanish in a cloud of petals.

Then the glass panes of the entire structure became fluid and fell in a shower of rain as the contents vanished. Drops of water splashed wide, spraying the two Guardians. All that remained before them was a giant puddle.

Almost before it was gone, Jack knew where the garden showed up next, half a world away.

The Winter spirit turned to his companion and had to laugh, finally breaking through the vice grip of focused misery he'd been caught in. Sandy stood there casually with his little sand umbrella and a look that said nothing surprised him anymore.

"Well. Guess that was her way of giving us a rain check, huh?"

He glanced back at the giant puddle, bounced on his toes once, then gave a flying leap straight into the muddy ooze in front of them. As his bare toes sunk into the squishy fresh mud, he beamed euphorically at Sandy. Crouching down, Jack scooped up some of the muck and happily started to make little clay figures.

Sandy sighed with half an indulgent smile. Of course Jack bounced back instantly (into a puddle this time, Sandy chuckled to himself- ah this kid's humor was getting to him). But frustratingly that's what made all of this so hard to figure out. Jack's own personality was covering up the majority of the evidence, but Sandy was getting a very clear picture as to _why_ Jack had so many flawed notions. Notions that led to low self-esteem, misplaced guilt, and a very disturbing trend the Sandman was seeing: Jack's didn't seem to recognize that the negative attention focused his way was _wrong_. It was like he had no idea that he deserved better.

Jack paused in his play as the sun peeked over the horizon.

"Guess I'd better get going. Have some winter stuff to do." The young Guardian flew back to his mentor's side, missing the anxious look that crossed Sandy's face at the mention of his departure. Jack extended his hand and Sandy reflexively opened his palm up, only to receive a fistful of rich brown mud, frozen solid. Jack looked proud of his gift.

"Million fun things you can use that for when it melts." Was it Sandy's imagination, or did the mud have blue sparkles?

Jack sank to one knee, eye level with Sandy. "Seriously- thank you. Today was…" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about everything that had happened, good and bad. "So much better with you."

Sandy gave him a look more gentle than the sunrise, and called up some of his sand in his free hand. He made two small golden disks of fused glass and handed one to Jack. As Jack's fingers touched it, one side frosted over in pure silver- creating a reflective surface.

"Ohhh, it's a mirror! Cool."

The older Guardian gave him a superior smile as he held up his own golden disk- which had also received a mirrored surface when Jack touched its twin. Jack looked closer at the glass in Sandy's hand. It reflected not what was in front of it, but what was facing the mirror in _Jack's_ hand. Sandy turned the mirror back toward his face, and Jack looked down at his- and saw Sandy's happy grin.

"Whoa!"

Jack's voice echoed out of the disk in Sandy's hand.

The winter youth looked at his friend astonished.

"You mean, they're like two-way-mirror communicators?! Ahhh! Can we talk to each other from anywhere?! Anytime?"

Jack had bounced up and held his mirror aloft toward the sky like a glorious trophy. The vulnerable, highly delighted look on his face reminded the Sandman of the immortal boy's response the first time Jamie saw him. This was a much bigger reaction than he'd been expecting. It was just a simple way for them to keep in touch- the Guardians were supposed to check in everyday right now, and-.

And then it hit him.

Jack had never had a way to reach out to anyone. Or anyone to reach out _to_.

Ever.

Hadn't even had a way of _finding_ anyone (except a decidedly malfunctioning Spring goddess, apparently), let alone expecting a welcome.

The oldest Guardian looked down as he realized the magnitude of what something so basic as a communication device meant to Jack- and found himself looking into said kid's face as it glowed from the mirror in his hand. He looked up and blinked as he saw Jack's face once more right in front of him, just as the boy was lowering his own mirror.

"Best. Gift. Ever. You could give North a run for his money!"

Jack's smile became a shade more vulnerable as he hesitated, then with a rebellious look, wrapped his arms around Sandy and hugged him fiercely.

It didn't even take a second before the hug was returned.

**-ROTG-**

Jack was still grinning as he flew through the air towards Eritrea, his next pillar destination. An exciting, grand musical score was following his movements as he dipped and twirled at incredible speeds. There were so many happy memories for him to play over in his mind. His sister, Sandy-

Oh! Wait until he showed Jamie the frost-activated mirror!

Thoughts of Jamie turned to sobering thoughts of Wick's attack, which took a surprising turn to puzzled thoughts of Bunny.

Gratitude still high on his emotional roster at the moment, Jack could admit he probably hadn't acted with enough of it after Wick's attack, distracted as he'd been by his anger.

Bunny had done nothing but protect him, and, and _heal him_. Jack slowed in his supersonic flight as it finally sunk in.

Whoa.

Yeah.

He'd been _protected_ by the Guardians when attacked.

And, and _cared for_ afterwards.

The idea felt so nice and _strange_. He wasn't sure what to do with it.

Well, he shouldn't _expect_ it, of course. And… really… he didn't deserve it. Regarding the moon's punishment, it was definitely a step in the _wrong_ direction. The attack itself was a glaring example- his thoughtlessness had put the Guardians and a child in harm's way. That realization brought up dark, confusing feelings. They made it very difficult to know what he should _do_ about any of it.

Part of him wanted to explain everything about everything to the Guardians. To not have to figure it all out by himself for once. There was so much and it made him so _tired_. But it kind of scared him that he even thought of this as an option. It seemed so _dependent_ , and selfish, and they would worry, and he had always done just fine managing it on his own. And now that he was a Guardian, he should be able to be even stronger about it.

That attack had _also_ been a glaring example of what happened when his stupid elemental problems intersected with Guardian business.

He just needed to try harder to keep them separate. Don't give the others any reason to doubt he could handle being an elemental _and_ a Guardian.

The memory of his recent time with Joy suddenly silenced these thoughts.

Was there… something here he wasn't thinking about clearly? She had really seemed to think so.

Some kind of funky, complicated, discordant alternative jazz number was playing in his mind by this point, and it was only getting more distracting.

Jack rolled his eyes in agreement with the indecipherable musical selection. He wasn't going to waste time thinking about all this when he had pillars to make. He wasn't going to figure this all out in one night, anyway.

He landed, feeling agitated and finding it difficult to summon the level of concentration needed to form a Winter-filled column. He paced forward a few feet, then stopped as he got a great idea.

Breathing deep, he began to go through the very basic martial arts meditations and movements that Bunny had walked him through last week. It only took a few minutes before he was marveling at how much better he felt. Calmer. More focused and confident, despite the inner turmoil that had been eating away at him.

He wondered why and where Bunny had learned in the first place… he was really good, it wasn't just a hobby. Was it a normal thing for a Pooka? He knew Bunny was a Pooka, but he'd never met any others. The Easter Guardian had seemed unwilling to share anything about his past or people when they'd talked long ago. He'd always just seemed angry if the subject was broached.

Bunny. Oh yeah, that's where his thoughts had started. How in the world had it come to be that Bunny had willingly come to his aid…? It had gone way beyond protecting a fellow Guardian from perishing. He'd _healed_ him. And tried to _comfort_ him. Bunny had said _it wasn't his fault_. Now _that_ was a mind-blowing change of tune.

If this was what Bunny was like normally, to most people, Jack must have really offended him way back when to have gotten such a grudge-y, grumpy Pooka all those years.

He was _not_ going to blow it this time. Okay, grumpy face was still good, it just had to be in fun, not real anger. Not the kind that made him leave for a long time.

Jack touched his neck, almost dry as the last of the ointment was being absorbed. It felt a _whole_ lot better. That was an injury that should have taken _weeks_ \- burns were the trickiest of all. Even if he'd gone to Antarctica to draw on power and only done the minimum, it would have been days before he'd have been able to attempt more pillars.

Okay. Maybe a _thank you_ was in order here. Bunny had astonishingly, beyond all belief, helped him tremendously when he really needed it. Yes, he'd stop by the Warren, say hi to the ol' cottontail and make a few more egg murals on the wall after taking care of this next pillar. Bunny may give him a bit of a hard time for just dropping by when he was undoubtedly busy, but Jack found himself looking forward to seeing the Pooka again so soon.

He really was the complete opposite of the leader of his season in so many ways.

It was weird, but he was worried about Sephi. That- none of that had been normal. It was kind of beyond comprehension that she was capable of being afraid. He'd always just assumed she snarked fear in the face.

What would Pitch think?

He should send him another letter, anyway. He'd thought about it shortly after Wick's attack, actually.

Sure, it stung, but it hadn't occurred to him to be _upset_ about Wick's comment regarding no one caring about him until it upset Jamie. It was like… Jack had believed it unthinkingly. Pitch was probably in the same boat. Needed to be reminded of other possibilities. Then it'd be up to him.

Finishing up a set of graceful moves, Jack strode forward, staff in hand, to make the pillar.

No time to waste, he had a Warren to visit and a letter to write. And many more pillars to complete before the week was out.

* * *

**-ROTG-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack gets his first cell phone, and reacts just like any newly connected teen does. :P There is also something SO ironic about the fact that Sandy was the one who made a communication device for him. I realize everything after the fact.
> 
> There is a really cool reason why Sandy has such creative powers. Lalela, you'll find out in good time.
> 
> Ohhh, I am being so mean to Bunny here, setting him up this much. *rubs the spot between his ears* Poor, poor Bunny. You're gonna feel soooo bad. :'(
> 
> Also. It seems like, awww, Jack and Bunny still don't totally get it, but they're both really wanting to try to understand each other and build a good relationship. Things will get better.
> 
> I'm… not that nice. Things will definitely get worse before they get better. Angst. Whump. Trauma. Mutual healing is needed. I will need some stiff drinks to get through the writing. Or rock music to mute the pain.
> 
> Reviews help speed the shadow postal service along, if you're wanting to see the next letter to Pitch…
> 
> Bwahaha, that's blackmail! XD *dies*


	20. Letter to Pitch 3

* * *

**Letter to Pitch 3**

* * *

Boogey-man-do-you-need-a-better-nickname (or a disco outfit),

Actually, that's a good point, where did you get that name and do you even like it? You say it kind of weird, so I can't really tell.

Anyway.

I was thinking about fear today. (Oh. I should _not_ have opened with that, I can feel the smug-face from here. Don't make me get out the anti-gloating-monologue snowballs again.)

Fear can come from really strange places and often goes unrecognized.

Heh, just made the connection there. Burn. Sorry. Maybe.

You're glaring right now aren't you. You'll get wrinkles, you know. Something you're probably trying to avoid at your age.

Okay, okay, I'll stop. Maybe.

I did have a point, though.

Fear can come from things that aren't bad- like caring about things and having something to lose. And it can come from really stupid things, like someone just being _different_. Fear can make people too weak to reach out a hand or so 'strong' in their desperation that they crush things that are important to them- either way, though, it's negative. What people do if they don't handle their fears the right way.

But… that all seems to be a matter of what people _do_ with fear.

So I thought I'd ask the fear expert who "always knows" about such things: what do people seem to consistently fear and what are some of the strange ways you've seen people handle it?

I don't think I always know what to look for. I saw a very powerful spirit today who was afraid of something small and good- I've known this strong person a long time and never even recognized she _could_ be afraid. It just always seemed to me that she knew what to do with _everything_.

It really made me wonder… how long has she been afraid like this? I wonder what other things about her are related to it. I actually almost wished you were there just so I could ask.

So I was trying to figure out other areas where fear might be lurking that I hadn't recognized. But when I started thinking of scary things, this is where I ended up.

Top Ten Things that can be scary AND fun:

\- Scary movies (not gross ones, though, ew)  
\- Rollercoasters (or flying with Wind when she's particularly feisty)  
\- Halloween (have you ever dressed up or do you just go as yourself? I dress up.)  
\- Jumping out at someone who isn't expecting it (you should have seen Bunny's face that one time! I paid for it, but it was totally worth it.)  
\- Darkness (where imagination can run free! Or run _away_ with you.)  
\- Starting a new day  
\- Trusting someone  
\- Loving someone  
\- Weather  
\- Life

There are more, though. If you pay attention, I bet you can see what I mean. Although, maybe everything scary that you do is fun to you, so pretty much everything you do is like this?

Wow, this is long, my hand is cramping and Wind is getting bored.

If you've made it this far, high-five- here's your grand prize! A final conclusion. And it's a good one. All those things that are scary and fun? They wouldn't be nearly as fun if they weren't scary. But what makes them _fun_ is the boldness with which you face them- you _use_ the scary part to find your own strength to _get over_ the scary part. And you're stronger and sharper for it. That's pretty powerful.

It can turn an army of nightmares into golden dreams, after all.

Okay, yes, I realize that's a really roundabout way of recognizing that we should face our fears. (Did you face yours? Last I saw you, you were pretty overrun by them. Literally. It was kind of amazing to realize you _could_ be. It's one of the things that, when I thought about it, made me more curious about you.)

And I'm not stupid, I don't know why you thought I was, with all that cold and dark business. I know most things that create fear are not fun _at all_ because they are genuinely bad and that's why we're afraid. I know fear usually comes from terrible causes and leads to worse results.

I'm just saying… I understand it's not always simple. The cause and effect.

And I did wonder what your thoughts were on all of this. A little conversation between Fun and Fear.

Ah, and don't worry, I didn't forget the fun, either! Here is your grand _er_ prize- because I did such a good job of connecting the dots figuratively, here's a literal connect-the-dots for you! I really want to see your face when you see what it makes a picture of. You're curious now, aren't you. You know you're going to do it. Do it.

I'll keep writing, even if you don't write back. It can't hurt, and you don't really want to be alone.

Are you alone?

-Jack

P.S. Hint: this letter means you're not. If you choose not to be.

P.P.S. I guess that's not so much a hint as an answer.

P.P.P.S. I just didn't think you'd connect the dots on that one. You should, uh, practice. See enclosed. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing a lot of work on story structure right now, so hopefully this thing won't be so difficult to follow.


	21. New Life: A Helping Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post author's notes later. You're really here for the chapter, right? ;)

**_-ROTG-_ **

* * *

Jack was in a really good mood by the time he flipped into a landing on the highest point of the tooth palace mountain. He was tired, but feeling much more optimistic than he had been a few days ago. Sunday may have sucked, but this was shaping up to be a pretty great week ever since. Maybe it was Sandy's magic, but awesomeness had seemed to follow him around ever since he had left Burgess on the Guardian of Dreams' cloud three days ago.

Speaking of clouds… he laughed as Wind pushed one of the misty masses that had clustered above the palace into his face. She tended to get extra playful when he was feeling happy.

Well, he _did_ feel like playing, so he leapt into her airy flow and they began chilling the warm tropical clouds into fun shapes. Usually, he went for something that he thought the local kids would like, then he'd fly down and watch, hoping one or two small faces would turn skyward and see what he had done for their enjoyment.

At the moment, however, frost and gale were creating forms that mirrored his own exuberant thoughts.

As they dove through the first cloud, it began to resemble the Sandman.

_Jack received amazing gifts during his day with Sandy- the memories of Joy, time with the dream Guardian, reassurance that Wick was no longer a problem, and a token that seemed to instantly banish the lonely silence any time he touched its smooth glass surface, even without actually activating it. He often found himself holding Sandy's present tight in the palm of his hand without realizing he had reached for it._

_And the awesome hadn't stopped there._

Jack and Wind swirled into cloud two and the shape of a child began to emerge.

_He had stopped by Burgess twice to check in on Jamie, staying well out of sight and reach, and the small boy seemed in excellent spirits. Tooth's healing had worked wonders, too. There were no visible remains of the attack on the child._

With an extra burst of cold, Wind helped Jack tug the third cloud into a six-sided figure that looked vaguely like a snowflake.

_Three more pillars finished, with no hostile spirits in sight. And although great fatigue still sunk into his bones, he had mastered exactly how far he could push before he'd run out of power completely and expose himself again._

Jack paused, considering the fourth wispy white mass. He began working with it a little more slowly and carefully, and it was a full minute before anyone would have identified a rabbit-like figure in the vapor.

_Better yet, he had found a way to make the grueling task of pillar-making more fun. After arriving at the Warren to find Bunny away from home, he'd had an amazing idea. He could not wait to see the Easter Guardian in a couple of days. The possibilities of what that might turn out to be like filled every daydream at the moment. Would Bunny like what Jack had set up for him? Would he have gone for it already?_

_The Pooka probably wouldn't mind that he'd taken the liberty of grabbing some blank paper while there (Jack had stumbled across a whole archive full of documents Bunny kept in the Warren, something he hoped to explore later). One more letter to a certain shadow dork completed and sent. He hoped the letters were annoying Pitch at least a little, because as important as it was to give him options, he was still a dangerous jerk. He didn't want to give the Nightmare King the idea that he was naïve. Fear wasn't something to mess around with lightly, and he knew this was a long shot._

Jack snickered as he realized he's accidentally given cloud-Bunny Pitch's weird hair. Oops.

He changed it to an exaggerated mohawk.

Jack didn't have to think twice about what to do with the final cloud. He just hoped he could get her wings right.

_Best of all, he was going to spend the day with a fearlessly fun fairy. He had exchanged a few words with her yesterday when checking in with Sandy over the mirror- the Dream and Memory Guardians had apparently been working together at the time. He had heard both the anxiety in her voice as she asked how he was healing and the excitement as she refused to tell him what they were working on. He found himself curious and excited to learn more about this unassuming yet mysterious fairy._

_More importantly, though, she was probably still a little worried about everything after the attack, so a wildly fun but peaceful day together would be just the thing to ease her mind. And his._

Yeah, recent events were an anomaly- just a side effect of the incomplete pillar project. He wasn't really a danger to his companions.

Still.

He looked at his cloud art. This was kind of something that would draw attention. And funny enough, that wasn't what he wanted at the moment. In fact, there was a certain kind of attention he was really trying to avoid, remember?

No harm done, though, even Tooth didn't seem to be aware that he was here, yet. He crouched low and peered over the edge of the mountain, seeing the stream of mini fairies flying two-ways in every direction from the palace. He grinned as a burst of Tooth's distant laughter carried through the air.

Time for some stealth ninja maneuvers. This would be good practice for remaining unnoticed as he finished making this year's winter columns. The irony was not lost on him- finally seen and working towards being remembered permanently, he was now focusing on staying hidden. Could this whole thing be any more confusing?

Giving up this train of thought, Jack flipped over the edge of the roof and pressed himself to the ceiling. Carefully keeping every sense open to his surroundings, he waited for the perfect timing to zip down behind a golden pillar. Avoiding the line of sight of a flock of fairies passing close by, Jack dropped quickly from the pillar to a dome twenty feet below. He crept silently across its surface to keep the structure between him and the twenty or so feathered workers who seemed to be engaged in quite the intense debate as they flew through the palace. He almost grew impatient waiting for just the right moment to flip to the nearby platform that would provide coverage and move him closer to where he sensed Tooth flying to join a group of her fairies.

Timing each move, he darted from one pillar, dome or platform to the next without catching the attention of the thousands of busy little flyers. It was hard not to laugh as he sensed how much fun Wind was having with the novelty of the activity. She kept oh-so-subtly turning little fairies away at just the right moment to keep them from glimpsing Jack. High-five, Wind!

This was easier than he had thought it'd be. He tried to smother his laughter again as he sensed Tooth's form, petite but considerably larger than her helpers, hovering just out of sight below the inner roof he was flattened against. Super focusing, he could tell when her back was turned toward him, her vibrating wings making a distinctive cut through the air. A flurry of her fairies surrounded her. They moved to the ceiling just below Jack, then flew back down to hover in just the perfect spot. Yessss.

"Raaaaagh!" Arms thrown as wide as his triumphant grin, Jack flipped down with a playful roar and startled…

No one.

Because the hundred little fairies definitely looked like they had expected him. And, sometime in those last moments before he popped out, Tooth seemed to have vanished?!

He didn't even have time to turn toward the flicker of air he felt coming from the ceiling above before he found himself snatched by the hood of his sweatshirt and tossed into open space beyond the platform. A fantastic blur of color swirled around him multiple times as he flew through the air trying to right himself. By the time Wind had him right side up, he found himself completely surrounded by a sphere of gleeful looking fairies.

"Well, well, well, so the new recruit thinks he can outwit Toothiana and her armies, eh?"

She looked positively wicked, a pirate's smirk and jaunty air turning her graceful hovering into a sassy stand-off. Hundreds of little faces mirrored the smug look, many unable to hold back their superior giggles.

A thrill went through him at the waves of sheer _fun_ around him. He matched Tooth's wicked grin.

" _Ladies_. Who could possibly _think_ to offend such elegant and wise beauties as yourselves?"

Solidarity was immediately broken as squeals and adoring looks spread through the ranks, many minis zipping forward to attach themselves to Jack. Baby Tooth had instantly assumed her rightful place atop his head and was chittering a scolding to the rest of them.

Tooth was giving him a dry, deadpan look, lips pursed against her own amusement.

"I am _not_ helping you out of the aftermath if you keep flirting with them."

Jack grinned unapologetically. "I'll settle for an explanation, then- how did you know I was here?!"

"Jack, it- _Girls!_ " When the coating of fairies Jack wore fell silent and turned their attention to their queen, Tooth smiled and flew closer.

"We _totally_ got him." They grinned at her. "Now it's time to get back to work- but!" She halted their protests with a raised hand. "I'll make sure we all have a little more 'Fun' before he goes." Jack's eyebrows shot up at her cheeky wink.

Baby Tooth settled into his hood with a stubborn look. Tooth moved to his side as they watched the rest of the fairies race off in a cheerful frenzy of anticipation.

"Yes, that means I am unleashing them on you later, and you so deserve it." She jabbed an elbow into his arm without looking his direction.

Jack's smile didn't falter even as he winced. "I'm beginning to think they could hunt me down anytime, if they wanted. Do you guys have radar or something?! I was-"

"Really obvious, actually. And once we knew you were there, it was pretty easy to set a trap for a certain thinks-he's-so-clever someone. I've been in your head, remember? I know how you tick."

"Soooo, basically you cheated."

"Lesson one in battle and pranks, Jack. Fair doesn't exist. No rules to break. Besides, it wouldn't have turned out differently, even if I had been unaware of how _gifted_ you are." She zipped around to his other side faster than a blink. "I was flying long before you were even born, and this is _my_ domain."

He had a feeling he'd only barely _glimpsed_ what Tooth was capable of, and he couldn't wait to see more.

"How did Pitch ever-"

"Well he _didn't_ poof around making cloud sculptures to announce his presence." She glanced side-long at him, purple eyes sparkling with laughter as he reddened. She held up a hand of consolation to soften the teasing critique. "Which was really fantastic and provided wonderful amusement for us all." Then Tooth sobered.

"He attacked when I wasn't there and _popped in and out of the shadows_. My fairies were immediately called back- we can return almost instantly- but that just meant there was a steady stream of them for the nightmares to consume. If I had only _been there_ …"

The joy had vanished from her face as she relived the memory of the attack on her home. Jack's heart clenched as her posture curled inward.

"Sorry." His voice was soft and apologetic. "Reeeeally stupid to try to sneak up on you like that after-"

"Nah, wasn't the first time the palace was attacked, won't be the last." She straightened and faced Jack with a strong and genuine smile. It absolutely refused to allow room for guilt- for such a thing would have called the smile a lie. "I'm not _that_ sensitive. It's good you keep us on our toes. Better a friend than a foe, I say! Ah. Which is why, when getting to know more about you with a memory spell like this, well… it's not that I will use that inside knowledge _against_ you, but..." She hesitated.

Jack nodded. "Better the lessons come from you," he murmured.

She did look apologetic. "I don't ever want to misuse this unwarranted trust you've given us Jack. But..." she sighed and anxiously smoothed her feathers. "The whole point of this process is to basically expose you, and not just to us. I want you to be... prepared. It, it's such a big change for you."

Although her words were terrifyingly true, the fact that she felt so anxious on his behalf made him feel more calm about it himself. He unconsciously moved closer to her as a sense of safety washed over him. She didn't seem to want to directly bring up Wick's attack any more than he did.

"Yeah... it, I mean, that's why I think we need to make it more equal. For example," He flipped above her, hanging upside down from his staff so their faces were on the same level. "What makes a certain _fairy queen_ tick?"

Her feathers flared, eyes widened and gleamed, and smile turned intensely gleeful as she grabbed his face and brought it closer.

"I am _so_ glad you asked, wait til you see what I managed to _do_!"

With a wild laugh she grabbed his wrist and hauled him through her palace, weaving skillfully around several curved towers and platforms until she burst into her inner chamber room with its shelves of artifacts and ingredients. She tossed him unceremoniously into the giant pile of pillows. Tiny toes perched on a beam high up the wall, she grinned down at his wind-blown and baffled expression.

"Comfy?"

"Uh…"

"Good! Up for sharing a tiny little memory?"

"T-tiny?"

"Itty bitty! Don't worry, Sandy helped me work out the kinks yesterday."

"Uh… alright…"

"Yes! 'Kay, Jack, what was it like when you arrived at my palace a couple minutes ago?"

Jack didn't bother blocking it- this one was easy, as long as he started it right when he was entering the palace. He felt the tug of a memory being released through the veil, but barely recognized that one was coming back along the same channel before the world whited out.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Her fairies had seen him before he even crossed the border into India.

_Jack was stunned- he couldn't feel Wind or any of the elements, but his mind literally spanned the globe. Thousands and thousands of consciousnesses touched his, light chirping thoughts flitting by in a never-ending stream. Each a separate identity, but part of him. Perfect understanding and love forming a boundless, constantly shifting net of sisterhood, flexible and unbreakable and mighty as the pull of the earth and moon._

_Beyond this connection to a worldwide army of busy little beings, there was a deep, humming power, running through the continents and their people. It seemed to stretch on forever in his senses, ancient and embedded in every fiber of being. The strength of Memory that created billions of identities and connected lifetimes, and the ocean of Belief that flowed through these lives into Tooth and back out, strong and protected by a balanced, mutual sharing. Each heartbeat flashed with hundreds of new sparks- teeth, newly lost. If there wasn't a little fairy near a particular spark, a simple mental tap on a strand of the conscious-net immediately signaled a new tooth retrieval order._

_Some inherent part of Jack echoed this ponderous sensation, recognized and sang with this same connection to Belief and the ability to inspire and protect an Aspiration, but it was like mere foam floating atop mighty waves in comparison to the ocean of Tooth's radiating Belief energy._

_And then there was something else, both familiar and foreign, that rooted him to this_ place _. It was like the ideas of the entire continent hovered in a mist around him. He couldn't quite understand the full scope of it, complex, organic, wonderful, with a million different wills, meanings and emotions… not Memory, but something similar and connected with people. What…?_

All of this snapped into a single, clear focus. Tooth lived as a balance of all these things, and right now her attention was honed in on a certain Winter spirit who had just made a series of highly entertaining cloud sculptures above her palace.

_Precious, intriguing, extraordinary, so young but wise… fun! Cherish. Protect._ The first feelings she used to identify him upon his arrival.

_Jack's heartbeat lost its rhythm for a few moments and his throat closed up as he_ experienced _how she felt about him._

She would _not_ accost him as soon as he showed up this time. That was probably really overwhelming for him. She winced slightly at the memory of how much it had affected him when she suddenly entered his space with probing fingers when they first met. _Yes, well done, Toothiana. Great first impression._

Actually, no, his _first_ impression of her _had_ been great, she remembered with a happy flutter. He had thought such beautiful things about her, like he immediately determined, on sight, knowing nothing about her heritage, simply that _she_ , as is- just, just _Tooth_ \- was wonderful.

_Jack was astonished. Of_ course _she was wonderful. And her tooth inspection had been overwhelming- but only because it was so novel. She hadn't hesitated in touching him. And the touch hadn't been a bad or controlling one, but unexpectedly gentle and casual. Like she hadn't given it any thought- didn't have any qualms about being physically connected to him for a moment, didn't have any calculated intentions. And he hadn't pushed her away the second time the impulse took her, because… he definitely didn't dislike it, and it was so unusual and funny and… disorienting._

_Looking back at it now, he found it an adorable example of Tooth being Tooth- thoughtlessly welcoming and comforting and enthusiastic about her interests._

She giggled and gave a little spin, wondering how long it would take him to come in already!

Argh, now he was just floating there?! Was he worried about-

She blinked as he suddenly crouched low, and then began stealthily moving through her palace. Obviously trying to remain hidden- she sent a quick mental notice to her helpers to act none the wiser until she could figure out what Jack-

Then she saw his mischievous grin.

She clamped her hands over her mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. Seriously?! Did he really think- ohhh ho ho, she had a few things to show _him_.

Immediately she flew to a large open chamber, drawing his attention- she knew he'd be able to sense her flying form. Quickly drawing in about a hundred helpers, they surrounded her and flew to the ceiling. She pressed herself flat to the surface, blending her presence into it, remembering the way Jack sensed spirits less distinctly from their surroundings than mortals. She had her fairies peel away in a group. They looked devious and delighted to be playing their role, the mind-giggles flying fast between them. _Getting to play with Jaaaaack!_

Tooth found herself sharing this same feeling- it made her feel special that Jack wanted to have fun together. Well, she'd make sure it was fun alright- a wicked streak of anticipation raced through her. Immediately the warrior in her became a flame of focus and power.

It was all she could do to hold onto that flame instead of shrieking with excited laughter when he finally launched into their view with a roar about as intimidating as a tiger cub's.

Aw, how cute.

Time to teach this cub a lesson in diplomacy when dealing with queens.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

When he became aware again, his head hadn't even had time to hit the pillow. He saw Tooth blinking her eyes as if awakening. She floated down beside him and sat delicately on a pillow, small hands clasped and feathers quivering in anticipation.

"Well?"

Jack jumped up and crouched on a cushion facing her, almost unable to contain his enthusiasm. Baby Tooth squeaked as Wind's turbulent twirling almost dislodged her from her hoodie perch. Tooth giggled, her feathers ruffled in an airy embrace from Jack's invisible supporter.

"That was amazing! _You're_ amazing! Brilliant! How do you even keep track of that many things- augh! You're like a _real_ genius! And so nice and intense and clever and the funnest person ever!"

Her cheeks were bright red, but she grinned.

"Okay, you _have_ to get North to add all that to my description in the Book. Ah!" She grabbed his hands. A jolt ran through him at the unusual sensation of fingers and palms holding his. If she noticed, she hid it well, casually beginning to pull away until he tentatively returned the slight pressure. Her smile widened and she continued what she had begun to say. "Not only did the transfer go two ways with a shared memory like that, it only took an instant. No more passing out for chunks of time! Ugh, that was so dangerous… thank goodness for Sandy's help. He's still the best mentor I ever had."

As if summoned by their comments, a glowing fish made out of dreamsand floated into the room. Pausing in front of them, it changed into Sandy's shape, waved at both of them and gave a thumbs up. Twirling back into a fish, it floated off again.

"Ah, Sandy checking in. Which means…"

One of North's portals opened and an elf tumbled out. Tottering dizzily, it gave a happy if somewhat vacant smile and proudly held up two, slightly rumpled letters. Tooth broke hand contact with Jack to take them and, with a glance at the outside writing, gave one to the elemental Guardian and immediately opened the other.

Jack stared at the white paper, folded over and sealed, with his name on it in strong cursive letters. He ran his fingers over the textured surface, tracing his name with a fingertip. He had mail. Someone had taken the time to- _Santa_ had taken the time to write to him. Laughter welled up and spilled out, just as it always had, without thought that it would be heard.

Until he realized Tooth was looking at him with a tentative smile and an uncertain look in her eyes as they flicked from the unopened letter to his face.

Ooo. Yes, that was probably a weird reaction. Uh...

"Well, y'know, this is kind of backwards. Receiving a letter from Santa rather than sending one."

Tooth laughed then, too. "It gets even better- you'd think he'd write like he speaks and it would be big and crazy all over the page, but he's actually a master calligraphist. Half the time I think I should be framing these…"

With a mixed look of curiosity and amusement, Jack broke the seal and settled his elbows on his crossed legs, immediately absorbed in the message. It was beautifully written, in perfect English, but he found himself focused on the meaning of the words. They were simple and encouraging, wishing him well for his days with Tooth and Bunny, and promising the _most_ fun was to be had on _their_ day together. It also not-so-subtly reminded him that he had a nice cozy place to rest if he happened to fly by the northern part of the planet. And P.S. the elf he sent probably still thought of Jack as an appointer-of-kings and wouldn't think it proper to leave until he had been officially dismissed. The elven political system was developing into quite the complex hierarchy.

Jack glanced over and fought a smile at the elf who was clearly trying to stand at attention.

"Uh, thanks, job well done. Please extend my greetings to the kings and let them know it would please me greatly if a flaming fruitcake of good faith was delivered to North. Dismissed!" He saluted the elf who swelled with pride and dropped the snowglobe from his hands, effectively tipping right into the resulting portal. "Wow, I hope North programmed those before giving them to an elf."

"If you burn down the Pole you'll be stuck on the naughty list permanently."

"Eh, I can take the heat."

Tooth covered her eyes with a hand in exasperation, but her laughter rang true. He grinned and looked back at his letter.

A flood of affection for the Christmas Guardian filled Jack as he read through the message a third and then fourth time. It was so simple and straightforward, but it communicated so much: a general confidence in Jack, a clear and repeated message that he was wanted, and a continuation of their inside joke. And perhaps best of all, no mention of the recent fight with Wick and any of its repercussions.

Jack realized a part of him had been somewhat dreading his next encounters with each of the Guardians after the invasive memory journey and their last uncomfortable separation. But so far they were easing his concerns. It really was going to be alright, and he didn't have to worry about overreactions.

He just needed to get through his day with Bunny to complete the circuit, and he had already set stuff up so it'd be nothing but fun for them both… well, he hoped Bunny would find it fun.

This anxious anticipation spiked as one of Bunny's holes opened up in the ground between Tooth and Jack. When only a painted egg popped out, Jack wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

Tooth scooped it up, turning it around in her hands and inspecting the patterns. She smiled with knowing affection, handing the blue and white egg to Jack.

"It looks like a message for you."

Jack held the egg carefully between gentle fingers, then gave a soft gasp as he saw the pattern. It was very clearly the frost rabbit Jack had created, first for Jamie… and then again this week to lead Bunny into the game he'd set up for him a couple days ago. YES! Bunny had obvious already started, and the message seemed to be that he was having a good time. Jack's imagination went wild with funtime visions, and he wanted to run off and play with him _now_ … maybe, maybe, Bunny was enjoying something Jack had done _again_.

Tooth's laughter broke through his mind's happy squealing, and he realized he had hopped his way joyfully into the rafters, bouncing from one to another.

"Come here, let's send a message back!"

Three mini fairies were waiting beside her. Tilting his head, Jack tried to act casual after his little display of glee, using a simple jump to land beside her and lean on his staff.

Tooth hovered a couple feet in the air and slung her arm around Jack, beaming shamelessly over at her triad of fairies.

"Say paneer!"

"Wha-?"

Snaps of light flashing from six little eyes left Jack blinking spots from his own. What he could see between the dark dots took a moment to process. Each of the little fairies was holding up her hands in front of her face. Hovering above their tiny palms were little moving images of Tooth and Jack as they had been a second before. Looking closer at the miniature gleeful Tooths and bewildered Jacks, captured in their moment, he realized what they'd done.

"Are those… visual memories?"

"Yeeees, aw, look how good they came out!" Tooth had lowered her face to her fairies and raised a hand to her mouth, whispering, "Make me copies, okay? At least six."

Straightening and clearing her throat, she turned back to Jack. He felt a tickle of amusement as her tone became a shade more formal but no less open. It was what he was coming to recognize was her Explanation voice.

"We Guardians developed many different communications methods for different kinds of scenarios, each leveraging our unique gifts, attuned to the situation- oh!" Enthusiasm voice overtook Explanation. "I've never seen Sandy make those mirrors before, though! Clever Sandy, making something up on the spot… It's not that easy to create a device that can be activated by the powers of another spirit. Can I see yours?"

Without hesitation, Jack reached for the leather string he had hidden around his neck beneath his hoodie. He carefully handled the disc of glass as it emerged, wound securely around with more of the leather band that fastened it all together. Tooth looked at it closely, but didn't move to touch the magical object.

"Ooooooo, almost exactly like the other one, but," She moved to look at the other side. "Yeah, that makes sense. Wow, he really did seamlessly integrate your powers..."

"Sandy is one surprising and awesome guy. Have you seen his sandcastle?!"

This led to excited gushing about their mutual friend, and Jack naturally followed Tooth as she flew casually from the room. They continued their happy dialogue while Tooth sporadically gave directions to the fairies that flew by. Jack noticed a number of them were not going out into the field, but were repairing the tile work and paintings throughout the palace. He grew quieter and quieter as he observed the surfaces that had been damaged in parallel with disbelief in the Tooth Fairy. Yet the mini fairies were efficiently rebuilding them, and Tooth remained calm and animated.

She described Sandy's role in her life as she became a Guardian. How he helped her understand her own natural abilities and ensured she had the guidance and support she needed to find an effective way of protecting children. She made a comment that she had enjoyed paying it forward in mentoring Bunny. At Jack's surprised look, she laughed and nudged her shoulder against his.

"You do remember he was just a little fluffer-puff of a Pooka-bunny before Manny called him to be a Guardian, right?"

Jack almost choked, overwhelmed with the laughter that fell over itself rushing to pour from his throat. He tumbled rather ungracefully to the grass below, holding aching ribs- _really_ aching ribs- and tried to catch his breath between rounds. A slight wave of dizziness encouraged him to keep his current position sprawled on the grass for a little longer, although his head felt a lot better today than it had a couple days ago.

"What's so funny?" Tooth's face appeared above his, looking innocent.

When his chuckles finally petered out, he gave Tooth a secretive, confidential look.

"I just did something, you know."

Tooth raised an eyebrow.

"Yesterday. For Bunny."

"Hoo boy." She shook her head, sat beside him and placed a hand on his forehead, gently stroking back his hair.

Jack stilled. His eyes again turned wondering and vulnerable at her touch. She lifted her hand after the first motion and held it hovering a moment in place, hesitating. He looked from the hand to her face, feeling a question he couldn't put into words. It must have communicated something to her, because every feather and feature softened and she lowered the fingers to brush through his hair again.

"It's really good for him that you're here with us now." Her words were quiet and grateful.

Jack only realized he had closed his eyes when he had to open them again to smirk at Tooth.

"To keep him on his toes? The 'learning from friends' thing?"

Tooth smiled briefly, but actually looked unexpectedly serious. She seemed to be debating whether to proceed, but with a deep breath, continued. "I'm sure you've already noticed, but there are lots of ways he pushes people away- that first, uh, incident at the Pole being a prime example. Regardless of what happened after, the fact that you helped him connect with a child again, and, without prompting, forgave his earlier behavior and apologized for yours- that was amazing and _important_ for him to experience. He's very good at… finding reasons to keep people out. I think I was the only one he'd ever shown his Easter process to before the urgent need this year. Bunny is good at burying himself in duty and avoiding others. But you-"

"-are too annoying to avoid?" Jack grinned.

Tooth raised a brow. " _Not_ what I was going to say." Then she laughed. "Although I'm sure the fact that you have now become 'unavoidable' to him _does_ annoy him. But in a happy, healthy way."

Jack kind of doubted that last part. But maybe someday. He wiggled his feet at the thought.

"You really care about him," Jack mused aloud.

"Goes without saying. About both of you. Even when you _are_ being troublemakers right in the middle of a disaster." She grinned. "That whole race was actually pretty fantastic…"

Jack smirked, knowing she was thinking of they way he and Bunny had turned their tooth collecting into a competition. A spark lit Tooth's eyes. With a final ruffle of the white strands, she reached down and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him into the air again before releasing it. "I have something to show you."

Jack and Tooth flew by many paintings, the stories depicted in each making Jack more and more curious. Most of them appeared to be about Tooth's history- there were many parts of it that baffled Jack, but with most of the details obscured by the damage, he couldn't really see enough to puzzle it out. Some pictures told other stories. Tooth finally stopped at a rather large section low on one wall. It was a beautiful, newly repaired mural of the Guardians, each surrounded by images of their backgrounds and abilities, a huge full moon shining down on them all.

Unthinkingly, Jack voiced his thoughts.

"You've all known each other for a long time."

The Tooth Fairy smiled in understanding and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"We have. We've fought many battles together, had many reasons to celebrate, shared the good times and bad. But none of us understood each other immediately. There is something wonderful about building that up," She picked up a piece of tile that had fallen off the border by North's image and carefully placed it back on the wall. "Piece by piece. And you, Jack," She impulsively wound an arm around his shoulders once more and rested her cheek against his, turning them both slightly so they were looking at the same spot of wall, "Are the final piece of that puzzle."

Jack's eyes widened, first at the warm contact that kept wiping his mind blank, then at the sight before him. He hadn't noticed at first, with all the vibrant colors of the other Guardians' completed pictures, but there on the very same wall was a spot he'd initially thought was blank. Only, it wasn't. It had an outline, and the beginning strokes of a new paint job.

It was a recently drawn outline of Jack Frost.

On the ground below it was a neat pile of tiny tiles- mostly blue, silver and white, with a few handfuls of brown, pink and black pieces, all prepped to take their place on the wall.

And the outline was indeed positioned as an integrated part of the whole image. How?! It was obvious that a blank spot there made this ancient mural look incomplete. What-

"I knew we weren't complete. That something was missing. It seemed to take forever for the Man in the Moon to select that last part- I was actually getting pretty impatient!"

"You- you _knew_?"

"I have a few oracular predispositions." She gave him a sidelong look that he was coming to believe she must _practice_ to infuse it with that level of mystery.

She zipped over to Bunny's part of the picture and laid a hand fondly on it.

"Bunny tried to argue me out of this conviction over the centuries. 'We're just right as we are, sheila. Don't need anyone else coming in and mucking it all up.' It wasn't just _you_ he objected to initially, you know- it was the idea of another teammate. In the end, I think he's adapted to your inclusion faster than he adapted to working with each of the rest of us. I think we all have. There's just something _right_ about having you with us."

She looked at him with such satisfaction and sincerity.

Jack smiled softly at her, then broke eye contact and looked down, both hands gripping his staff. He _wished_ it was true- more than anything. He knew he was meant to be a Guardian, he just… needed to make sure it stayed that way. He would do this, earn this. If you earn something, it can't be taken away, right?

Looking back up, he noticed she was studying him rather carefully. A depth of understanding shone in her eyes.

"Okay, that's enough from me. Now let's do something _you_ taught that _I_ was too blind to see. The value of field work! Let's make some children happy your way, Jack. Up close and personal."

She was off in a streak of rainbow feathers, didn't spare a backward glance, completely confident he would join her. And without another thought, he did, grateful for the active release.

As soon as he'd caught up- she obviously wasn't flying her fastest- he gave her a cautious look. He felt a spark of relief. She didn't seem concerned about venturing into the wide world with him. But just to check…

"You're not worried about another attack out in the open here?"

"Hah. I'm a queen, not a princess in a tower. It is my duty to protect the people here. We're not going out unaware, and if this situation with Pitch taught me anything, it's that we need to be paying more attention to what's going on out here and meet it head on. Now, my best weapons are my wings, but-" Almost as if prompted by their conversation, a group of little fairies rushed up carrying a pouch and a curved sword with an ancient gold handle. They dropped the set into Tooth's waiting hand and she belted it around her waist in a smooth, practiced motion. "Got this little beauty out of storage, polished and sharpened. In any case," She gave Jack a look of cool, iron-will. "Anyone'd have to be crazy to try something against me in my own region. I _am_ a fairy queen, after all."

And on that cryptic note, she dove straight down into the canopy of trees, slicing through them, hardly disturbing a leaf in her wake.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

They flew through jungle-like forests, past mountain fields, over shaded riverbanks, keeping well outside of urban centers. The few people they passed all smiled or laughed as a deliciously cool breeze blew over sunbaked skin, seeming to carry the uplifting memories of joy-filled times. Every now and then a believing child would see Tooth and run and wave excitedly in their direction, earning a momentary, twirling fairy dance and a few frosty flakes floating into their upturned faces. The grins grew to twice the size as belief in Fun took hold and they saw her icy companion for the first time.

Tooth watched Jack in his interactions with the kids closely. As they left four children sitting on the bank of a river, pushing little ice boats around with sticks in a mock sea battle, she turned to him.

"You always seem to know what to do with them. What they'll like. It's more than just understanding how they feel, you know how to _respond_."

Jack blinked at her in surprise.

"Just takes spending a little time with them. Kids are typically pretty great about letting you know what they need and like."

For a moment, Jack couldn't read her expression. Then she seemed to change the subject.

"Mm. And what about you?"

A delightfully random volley of questions and answers began between the two Guardians. The day seeming to race by during their meandering journey through the countryside. She asked if he minded their warm summer weather (he didn't), he asked how long she'd lived here (almost forever and still loving it).

She wanted to know how many places _he_ had lived (define lived); well, then, where he liked to visit most (so many amazing places).

He was curious why she hadn't been in the field for over 400 years (long story). Well, then, how was she chosen?

"You could say… I chose myself." She laughed at his exasperated expression. "Ask me again when we're sitting down for a few focused hours. It's a long story, and not particularly easy to tell."

Baby Tooth fluttered by Jack's face and gave him a little shake of her head. Jack nodded and let it go. He'd noticed Tooth's laughter had become a shade tenser with his last two questions. It wasn't like her usual unguarded willingness to help him understand, answering any and all inquiries.

In fact, thinking back, it had been a single conversation about teeth with this considerate lady that had set him on the path to discovering his past and purpose. All because she had listened and cared- even in the midst of her own troubles as her very kingdom crumbled. It was a consistent characteristic he had observed in the days since. She had taken the initiative to discover the veil and help him make sense of it, while still understanding and defending his need for boundaries. She had done all this for no real reason that he could understand, outside of her dedication to her Center and her team. It was a generosity he would never forget. He looked over with intense appreciation, immediately noticing that he had lost track of her along with his external focus during his mental rambles.

He glanced over his shoulder, realizing she had fallen back behind him- and saw her imitating the flight pattern he had just completed.

Noticing his attention, her eyes met his with a challenge. Well that was interesting. He sped up, bouncing off tree trunks, banking through branches, flipping above the canopy, only to plummet back through and hook a vine with his staff to instantly change trajectory and shoot off in a new direction.

She matched him effortlessly, her whole face lit with excitement, their combined laughter escalating and echoing far into the forest.

Jack slowed, sending her a perplexed look.

"What?"

"I just… I figured you'd be the one teaching _me_ about flying. You're faster and more focused and-"

"I've always found the best start to teaching is learning." Her estimation of him glowed in her eyes.

Surprise at her perspective, delight at her admission, and the completely foreign sense of feeling valued prickled through every nerve.

Tooth's feathers flared and she curled inward, laughing at his astonished expression. Jack drew closer and made his own suggestion.

"OK, well, how about side by side?"

It _was_ twice as fun to weave their distinctive styles together. And it was obvious that they had the potential to be good- no, _great_ as a flight team. It wasn't perfect synchronization so much as creative coordination. They anticipated and added to each others' moves, speed and alternating leads, performing combined stunts that were twice as impressive. They had gotten a glimpse of this potential when they were battling Pitch, and now they finally had the space and time to begin working it out.

Even Wind seemed to be having a great time, flowing naturally between them and reacting to Tooth's movements as if tentatively trying to understand and help her, too.

They noticed almost in the same moment that they had been joined by a whole flock of different birds, trilling and twirling in the cool wind currents and spaces between and around them.

Jack flipped backward twice through the afternoon sunlight and swooped down into the mango grove they had just arrived at. Tooth spun away and plummeted through the treetops in the other direction. She hovered facing him beneath the foliage, grin matching his as they silently debated which way to go next.

Jack was just tilting his head to the village a little distance away as a suggestion when his smile dropped. Without warning, he darted to a branch high in the nearest tree, peering out from the coverage of the leaves. Tooth flew up and lit lightly beside him with an inquisitive blink, which then sharpened to an understanding, searching look through the shade of the dense trees around them.

"You feel that?"

She nodded and Baby Tooth gave a hushed chirp. Jack with his elemental perceptions and Tooth with her connection to this region had both felt the flicker of a murky spirit force. The grove and nearby tropical forest they had just flown over to get here were unnaturally quiet.

They went still, listening and trying to pick up on any indication of the presence they had briefly felt. The sounds of birds, bugs and other creatures gradually began to resume. After a minute with no further disturbances, Tooth shrugged and reached up, plucking a few ripe pieces of fruit from the branches. Jack raised his brows at her casual dismissal.

"Is that normal?"

Tooth tossed him a mango. "Not _normal_ , but this land _is_ deep with stories and beliefs. Things will whisper by occasionally. More memories than real manifestations. Although a few spirits remain steadily present, most of my old friends faded long, long ago."

She sat on the branch. Intuitively, he crouched, balanced on his toes beside her, tilting his head with sympathetic inquiry. She seemed to fight a smile at his posture before continuing soberly.

"The spirit… community, for lack of a better term, has been in a steady progression of decline my whole life. Manny's creation of the Guardians was the strongest thing to happen for a millennium at least. Things change. Ancient beings rarely keep up."

"Mm. I guess it-" Jack cut himself off, bolting upright with a look of horror. Tooth was immediately hovering beside him, hand on her sword hilt.

"What is it, Jack?"

"There's… a _really_ scared child in the woods there- And _another_ -"

With an audible snap of air, they both shot in the same direction, Tooth at first slightly behind and taking Jack's focused lead. With a gasp she drew ahead and called over her shoulder, "It's not just children, either. There are dark spirits here!"

Within moments, they almost slammed to a stopped as a child of about nine darted between the trees, trembling with tears streaming from eyes too terrified to blink. The young girl had both hands over her mouth to stifle her sobbing and she kept looking around at the trees before staring back down at the uneven ground as if unable to take in the sights around her.

Tooth and Jack immediately understood why. Shadows loomed and flickered between trees, sometimes taking the shape of serpents or vicious-looking insects as they swarmed over every surface. Wood occasionally splintered with ominous cracks. Harsh yet indecipherable whispers grated through the air.

The girl froze, appearing to stare at something right in front of her. She finally released a piercing scream that sent the darkness into a frenzy, growing blacker and more energetic.

A burst of silvery blue light lit the area as Jack hovered over the girl and sent powerful ice magic shooting in all directions. Glowing frost covered the foliage and drove back the deep shadows with its brightness. Tooth adjusted the beating of her wings, their usual sheen increasing to a powerful rosy glow, which reached into the dimmest crevasses of the immediate landscape, until even the few surviving shadows were still. Jack reached down and tried to wrap an arm around the girl, only to have it whiff through as if completely insubstantial. Tooth immediately darted forward and lifted the child, who gasped, then seemed relieved at the sight of the fairy. She wrapped her small arms around the feathered neck.

Both Guardians burst through the leaves to rise into the sunshine above the trees.

The girl was thanking Tooth profusely in her own language, and Tooth was soothing in the same tongue. Telugu. Jack tried to follow the words, but found it difficult, as the language was not one of the main ones he had been regularly exposed to.

He was so grateful Tooth was here, but part of him hurt. Another child he would not have been able to fully help on his own.

"She says she was with twelve others down there."

Jack nodded, scanning the treetops. "Yeah- they're scattered all over-"

"And the Fearlings are just everywhere… I haven't seen an outbreak this bad in centuries! Not since we defeated Pitch the first time. We have to get them out of there, _now_."

Jack straightened with resolve as he met Tooth's fierce look. Thirteen children in a forest of shadows. Time to step up.

"I… I know what to do."

"Okay."

Jack paused at her easy acceptance of his lead, then gave her a determined smile and dropped back into the trees. Tooth paused with a look of surprise that his first step was to go back into the darkness with the child they had just rescued. She sent a mental call to her nearest fairies before holding the girl closer and following Jack.

Jack touched down on the shaded ground, looking to make sure there was no moving darkness immediately around them. 'Fearlings,' Tooth had called them.

"Does she remember how to get back? I can create a safe path for her, but it won't stay true unless she knows the way." Or unless he followed and guided the whole time, which was not an option with twelve other children to round up.

Tooth gave him a puzzled look, then quickly asked the girl a question. The child clung tighter to Tooth, nervously looking around and shaking her head no. Tooth gave her a gentle smile, spoke a few more words and laid her hand on the young one's hairline. Dark eyes closed and the small face relaxed.

The girl opened her eyes and nodded, her face mirroring the brave look Tooth was giving her. She moved voluntarily from the fairy's arms, but kept her hand on Tooth's elbow just as a number of mini fairies began arriving from every direction.

Jack smiled wistfully at their closeness, then struck his staff to the ground. He held it there as it formed a path of glowing ice, with frost that climbed up the trunks beside it and hung from the branches above in icicles. It formed a tunnel of beautiful, moonlight-filled ice. The girl stared, mouth and eyes wide. Jack looked gratified by her reaction, leaning casually against his staff.

The winter Guardian realized Tooth was smiling proudly in understanding, too- at him. Just as his eyes flickered at the unexpected attention, Tooth turned to the girl, spoke his name and gestured at his location.

The child twirled around, her eyes at first slipping right over him. He felt a shocking thrill the moment he could tell she backtracked and locked on his form. He still found recognition so _unexpected_ and wonderful. Her eyes met his and turned that contrary combination of shy and eager that he found so… relatable in children.

She waved a tentative hand and he laughed, waved back and gestured toward the ice. Without hesitation, she turned and ran towards the glow, giggling in delight as her feet touched the cool surface and gasping as the tunnel before her moved to follow her steps forward. Tooth spoke a couple more sentences, and the girl looked back once with a determined nod. A mini fairy flew up to provide an additional escort for the girl, who now ran for all she was worth in the direction of the mango grove, enveloped in her own personal bright ice cave.

"Jack. That is _brilliant_. The shadows won't be able to reach her in that cocoon of light. Now- wings up and take no prisoners!"

Thirty fairies buzzed their wings into a glow. The two Guardians shared a look of perfect understanding, Jack gesturing in the direction of the next nearest distressed child. Fun and Memory took off, orbs of blue and pink light shooting through the trees, the darkness evaporating before them.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

The children were singing. Fear banished, thirteen children were hugging each other and dashing around in excitement as they made their way through the bright fruit orchard outside of the forest, laughter and melody woven together in their voices. For some reason, Jack could perfectly understand their meaning as joy and song strengthening the unfamiliar words.

Waving his staff, several mangoes fell in front of the children. When 26 small hands eagerly lifted them from the ground, grins ignited all around in delight to find the fruit icy cold, knocked from the trees by frozen shards. The kids cheered in Jack's direction and he had to fight every urge that pushed him to go play with them right then and there until night would finally steal them indoors.

But he did resist because the Guardian business was not quite over. Now that the children were safe, they needed to make sure there was nothing left in those woods to torment them again. One final sweep now, then Tooth was setting a handful of her fairies to patrol the area for awhile, hopefully shedding some light on why this place had been infested. She had said she suspected a corrupted, nearly faded place-spirit or the like.

Tooth called to the kids and pointed in the direction of the village just in sight beyond the last of the fruit trees. They seemed to offer token protests, but started off almost immediately, the early signs of weariness evident as the adrenalin wore off. Before they'd gone even 30 feet, some of the older children had already lifted a few of the littlest kids on their backs, chatting softly to the exhausted tykes.

"I'm so glad you were here-"

"If you hadn't been here-"

They blinked at each other, then started laughing, the last of the tension from their shadowed battle floating off with the breeze.

Tooth gave a happy twirl before zipping up into the nearest mango tree, calling back over her shoulder.

"I know this sounds weird, but I always used to love picking fruit when I was little, before I had wings. I got to climb up high and spy on anyone walking below who was too unenlightened to look up. Best of all, it was like finding treasure in the very trees." She flew through the branches as she spoke, avoiding each one with skill as she snatched an entire armful of mangoes in a couple of seconds.

Arms full of fruit, Tooth gave Jack a look that clearly communicated he should prepare for something unexpected. She tossed the ripe mangoes into the air above her, and as they fell, she spun around, a tornado of slicing sword and wings. A cloud of juicy wedges flew straight at Jack, who seemed about to make an awkward dodge of the whole mess before quickly realizing this was an intentional challenge. With a swipe of his staff, a rounded shield of ice formed instantly in front of him. Grabbing it with one hand, he performed his own windmill flip, catching every piece midair in the bowl-like curve of ice and finishing with a fluid motion that left him holding the dish in a classic waiter's position. He grinned and Tooth thrust her fist into the air in triumph. The host of mini fairies cheered.

"Dinner _and_ a show! See? We were definitely meant to be a team." She zipped up to him and grabbed a chilled slice, her little ones doing the same.

They all munched the fruit as they watched the kids nearing their home. The children were now being greeted by villagers who had obviously just set out to begin searching for them. The young people were excitedly telling their story and pointing at Tooth and Jack. The parents smiled and nodded indulgently, but some of the older generation sporting quiet expressions made eye contact with the Guardians. One ancient man bowed in gratitude.

Jack didn't realize he had been smiling until Tooth looked up and returned the grin. Then she glanced toward the sun that was making its way toward the horizon.

"Let's not give those Fearlings the advantage of night's darkness."

Jack set the bowl of remaining fruit on the ground and followed her purposeful flight back into the forest. The little fairies followed, then began to disappear in different directions in a blanket patrol of the area.

"What are Fearlings? Is that some kind of official name for the moving shadows?" Huh. Why _did_ he feel so safe asking her questions? She seemed to naturally banish any qualms he had about appearing ignorant.

"They've been called that as long as I can remember, and I know they've been around literally forever." Her speed slowed and she got what Jack had internally begun to label the Memory look. It was like she was checking mental records or something.

"Manny made it clear they were the greatest threat to our purpose. Pitch, of course, commanded them in droves during the Dark Ages, but they've been a rare sight since we Guardians started our work. Hah, but, evil can thrive while hidden often better than out in the open. You know, working _from the shadows._ " She briefly shot Jack a sassy look at the double meaning, then continued scanning as they made their way deeper and more slowly into the darkening forest. "It's what makes them so insidious. Fearlings are like an infestation you think you've stamped out until you lift the floorboards and find a whole colony."

"So, they _are_ from Pitch." Jack frowned.

"I doubt it, considering we just wiped him out. We _will_ need to find him again before he builds up another core of power, but right now I'm sure he's still licking his wounds. No, Pitch was in a class of his own, but not all of our battles were with the _Boogeyman_ ," Her tone was mocking when she used the nickname. "These dark creatures seem to align with any spirit who gives them a foothold, preying on their fears until they've created a creature that instills it in others."

That made sense… and would explain the creepy shadow thing with Mirage, Wick and the handful of other unfriendly spirits who had brushed (or blasted) across his path over the centuries.

The woods had been getting steadily dimmer as they flew in a zigzag through the maze of tree trunks, sweeping for any signs of writhing blackness. Jack was beginning to feel this may not be the best topic of conversation… dark shades seemed to move between trees out of the corner of his eye. As soon as he'd look head on, though, everything was still. But… watchful? A mix between the Jaws theme and old black-and-white horror movie music was crescendo-ing in his mind.

Jack realized Tooth was looking at him the same moment he noticed he had tensed up, practically curled around his staff, he held it so close. A delicate coating of frost was spreading along the ground and plants in his wake.

Tooth simply smiled calmly and changed the subject. "You were amazing today, Jack. Those fear-mongers paled into nothing in the light you brought the children."

Jack smiled back, his fingers loosening from their death grip on his staff as her calm and affirming words sunk in. Whether in the sunlight or the dense shade of these trees, moving through the world with a friend who gave without demanding anything made him feel… safe _and_ free. One after another, he had been able to set aside his defensive impulses. He'd spent a whole day with her and still didn't feel overwhelmed by the intensity of her presence, even though it was bright and powerful. He didn't feel like he needed to _escape_ from anything. He flew slightly closer as she continued talking.

"You've done that before, huh? Sensing kids in need. The ice tunnels."

Less than happy memories were called up at this comment. His immediate reaction typically would have been a vague and dismissive remark, but honest, raw words from _somewhere_ tumbled out instead.

"Not… not much else I could do to help, often. And sometimes…"

He trailed off. She remained quiet and simply tilted her head, slowing to a stop. He halted, too, a few feet away. Eventually he spoke, very quietly, trying to keep his face and tone smooth.

"Sometimes they would be more scared of my 'help' than the real danger they faced. You know. They- they didn't know where it came from, glowing ice and unnatural winds, whatever I tried. And if they were _already_ scared by the time I found them…"

Tooth looked down and pressed her hands together, a look of heartache locked in her features.

Jack took a shuddering breath.

"In times like that, only when it was life or death and there was no way to _tell them_ anything or help them understand, I used that fear. It was, it was all I could do. I _hated_ it. They were afraid and they ran from me, so I could still send them the _right_ way, somewhere safe. Away from- from me. But… I hated it. I _hated_ -"

He clenched his eyes closed.

He didn't mention how long he'd go after incidents like that before he'd try to interact with kids again. How dark and silent things seemed when he could feel a child's fear spike at the effects of his presence. How he actually felt grateful that they _couldn't_ look him in the eyes in those moments. Grateful no one could see him, forever hidden from the terrible and just recriminations.

He wasn't sure when he'd moved, but somehow he was now up in the branches above Tooth and his hood was up and his knees were beneath his chin. The closest leaves had gone from cold to blackened with frostbite.

_Nonono. Don't focus on the dark parts. Don't think about that stuff. Don't get lost. Don't feel like this._

Stiffly but with resolve, he unwound his frame. After a few more moments, he pushed his hood back. Looking at Tooth would be the hardest part, he didn't want to see what she was thinking. He looked up at the leaves above him. Why was he even talking about this? He needed to fix it.

"I got better at being subtle when fear was in the mix, though. And either way, at least the kids were safe, right?"

Yeah, there we go.

Smile possible? Yes, there.

Feeling it spread across his face, natural or not, he finally turned to Tooth.

She was still as a statue, feathers flattened, kneeling on the ground, her eyes closed. The only sign to indicate any kind of response was the tightness of her lips.

Just as dread was seeping coldly through his chest, Tooth took a deep breath and opened her eyes, wings perking up and giving several flutters.

"I'm sure you did _everything you could_ to help those children, Jack. I'm just… sorry we never noticed." She seemed to want to say more, but held back, simply looking up at him. Her eyes were glossy and almost indigo dark, and very serious. But she lifted her chin and hovered up beside his branch. "And it's long, _long_ past time that you had believers and a team to back you. I can't change the past, but we are going to make this right." She sighed. "Going forward."

Tooth reached a hand out tentatively, and Jack instinctively tensed. The observant fairy pulled her arm back immediately. Jack wilted in disappointment and frustration at being all the way back to the start, showing her such a response. His tension doubled when he realized this irritation was also probably _obvious_ , and Tooth would get the wrong idea. This thought snapped him out of the paralysis and he scooted closer to her, fingers raised, "Sorry, I-"

Jack barely registered that Tooth was moving before her arms were around his neck in a completely committed hug.

Maybe it was the way they had spent the whole day reading each other and responding instinctively, or the fact that they had been true allies in battle only an hour before, or the contrast of those old, cold memories with the well of joy he could still feel at having protected today's children so successfully. But the full and unrestrained contact he was receiving smashed past the awkwardness and pain that had begun to screw everything up. The embrace felt for a moment completely natural and necessary. Like the first bite after weeks without sustenance, bringing back the familiarity of food and simultaneously acting as an aching reminder of the desperate starvation that was endured.

He had dropped his staff and thrown both arms around her before he consciously thought of moving.

He hadn't thought of deserving it or not.

He hadn't thought of fear or the pain in his damaged body.

He hadn't thought of pushing her away and keeping his distance.

The only thing he remembered in that moment was that today had been entirely different from those past memories that haunted him. He had just protected every child he encountered in danger thanks to the amazing person who was currently _choosing_ to hold him close. And it was there again, the feeling that had filled him after understanding _why_ he had been chosen, after defeating Pitch, after pledging to be a Guardian, knowing it was his destiny. In this moment, he felt strong enough to hold on to something. He had made a new memory. One more small pocket of warm light that he could call on for _truth_ in the most confusing times.

Tooth rested her head against his and repeated herself, murmuring, "We will make new memories and make this right."

Jack's response was urgent yet vague.

"How did you… figure it out? How to be close to- how to protect so many important things without... without causing more _problems_?"

Tooth took a deep breath and held him at arm's length, her eyes taking on a brighter glow at the way Jack's arms seemed to resist the increasing distance between them. She changed the mood instantly with a mildly sardonic smile.

"If you hadn't noticed, problems are part of the package. It's what we do. I think you've already seen it can take us awhile to figure things out, but we believe in each other and what we protect together. Did you see what happened when I was in trouble? The guys didn't give it a second thought, they were _there_ for me and the kids. We may be slightly dysfunctional," She chuckled, "I don't think I'd fit in, otherwise- but we're still a team, and I think it's for a _reason_. We're all linked. Besides, if we don't believe in ourselves and each other, how can we expect kids to?"

It was so simple when she said it. Almost trite. Believed in each other. That… _sounded_ really nice. Sort of... _permanent_. But it didn't really fit. The answer was too easy, and yet impossible. She probably didn't understand what is was like to be the one who _caused_ the problems before struggling to fix them. So far, he'd managed to keep his head above water, piecing back together what he broke, and that gave him confidence that he could continue figuring it out. But he really didn't want the others to have to bear the repercussions each time, give them reason to-

Before Jack could try to fully puzzle out her words, a voice eked out from higher up the tree trunk next to them.

"Still telling your fairy tales, I see, _Toothiana_." The tone turned the name into an insult.

The shadows Jack had told himself weren't really moving and watching… were.

Before the Guardian pair had time to finish their gasps, warm drops of sticky black spattered down onto their upturned faces. Jack stared in horror. The dark moisture turned into streaks of red as it made tracks down Tooth's face. Blood. Something smacked into her head, then his shoulder received a blow- no fewer than twenty birds fell from the branches above them, writhing and foaming at the beak. Those that weren't dead by the time they reached the ground didn't survive the impact.

Tooth was immediately in a ready stance, wings slicing and sword raised as she tried to zero in on the threat. Baby Tooth was right beside her. And Jack…

...had dropped his staff, indulging in a false sense of safety.

Acute panic turned his wind-less jump from the tree branch into a clumsy fall, and as still-broken ribs and internal bruises slammed into the roots below, a flood of pain left him curled immobile on the ground.

"Jack!"

His eyes jerked open only to see Tooth break from her position to dart down in his direction. Over her shoulder, he saw a snake with a head as big as a dinner plate slithering faster than seemed possible between branches, straight at the bright fairy. The tree above them seemed to be filled with a dense cloud of prickly insect legs, shining carapaces, glinting eyes and stingers dripping with vile purpose. The mass heaved, swirling down directly for Tooth.

Jack didn't even have words as he screamed a warning and rolled to his knees. Wind was wailing through the trees, undirected and unable to help. Tooth spun around in time to slice her sword through the front of the swarm. Scrambling for his staff and feeling terribly helpless, Jack barely registered that the insects bodies falling from Tooth's blade were enormous wasps. His hands clawed desperately through the carpet of leaves, searching, his eyes torn between trying to see where his conduit could have fallen and Tooth's form, now a tornado, on the verge of being completely overwhelmed by the buzzing tide of hardened bodies baring down on her. Surrounding her. It was just like when Sandy-

Jack gave a wrenching sob of relief as a cloud of mini fairies burst through the canopy of leaves, a brightly jeweled swarm of their own, tearing apart thoraxes, wings and abdomens in vicious defense of their queen.

Jack finally turned his eyes fully to the ground, now a pool of warping shadows… some of which seemed to be slowly pulling his staff down into a void not five feet from him. He was moments away from losing the conduit for his powers. As terror crashed through him and he lunged for the fragile piece of magical wood, the shadows grew blacker. Eyes and claws seemed to appear as the forms stretched up, grasping and trying to cover his body. The staff instantly seemed to drop through into the living blackness, now strengthened by his fear. Jack thrust his hand forward and just barely grasped it before it disappeared completely. His fingers touched the wood, and it was like a key turning the ignition inside him.

He shot into the air with an enraged cry, bright tendrils of winter lightning crackling out of his form. He directed the sharp light at the Fearlings that were reaching up, still clinging stubbornly to his feet. Bright, sharp shards of ice slammed into the ground and an eerie wailing vibrated up as light overcame shadowy footholds. He didn't spare a glance back at his work, instead flinging himself head first, staff blazing, toward Tooth.

She and her fairies- now more than a hundred in number- had held their attackers at bay, although a number of the little ones had obviously been stung or injured. Those unable to fly were held up by their sisters. The remaining wasps now hovered just out of reach of the cluster of fairies, watching for weak points. There were dozens of snakes, slithering and staring, stalking them from all the surrounding trees. Night had completely fallen, the only light now coming from the fairies and their frosty ally.

Jack sped to join them, mortified that he had been more of a liability than a protector so far. Tooth shot him an intensely relieved look, eyes quickly checking him over. A smile lit her face as he stopped beside her, safe and sound. Her feathers twitched as she spoke.

"Okay, maybe a haunted forest isn't the best place for a heart to heart."

Jack had no idea how she managed to laugh genuinely after all that, but she did. For some reason it made him want to cry.

Manic laughter from the trees joined Tooth's, turning a sweet sound into harsh madness.

A group of the wasps and several of the snakes in front of them pulsed together, the largest snake winding around the mass, twisting and blending it into one until a female spirit stood on a tree branch across from them. She was Tooth's height, with black eyes, a gaunt face and long, uneven stringy hair that reached her calves. She was clothed in the massive brown and yellow snake that wound around her body from left shoulder to right ankle.

"Now, now, old friend. If you intrude into my home, call me from slumber, steal away my prey, and offend my eyes with your ugly glow, you might as well provide the entertainment of your nonsensical rambling. I do relish the ridiculous, still."

Her S's hissed and buzzed and the N's came out strangely resonant, seeming to hum through their chests.

"Old friend?" Tooth squinted her eyes, then they widened and she stared, speechless. Finally, she whispered a name. "Chikitsa?"

"BIMARI!" The snake-clad woman lost her form, wasps and serpents regaining their individual bodies from her flesh as she seemed to blend into the wood of the tree. A path of rot shot down the trunk, through the network of roots and up another tree to their right. Her venomous pets in that tree melded together, once more giving her shape.

"I am Bimari! Do you think yourself the only one special enough to claim a new name? You chose to become one and many, as did I." The wasps buzzed and the snakes hissed in a horrible cacophony to support her last words.

Jack froze. Bimari. He had never met her before, but he knew the name. It was a very, very _not good_ name.

Tooth's expression had become disbelieving and furious, her voice echoed her disgust. "You call yourself _Disease_? You were our greatest _healer_. You _fought_ the illnesses that plagued our land and our people. You protected _life_."

Bimari smiled in dark anger. As one, a host of her snakes slithered down the trees and began biting and swallowing the birds that lay on the ground, still twisted from the agony of their death by whatever debilitating illness had attacked their small bodies. Jack felt nauseated by the grotesque demonstration, but didn't realize the full implications of Bimari's display of scorn for the winged creatures until the mini fairies began making wailing, mournful sounds, an empathetic distress twisting their tiny faces.

Tooth didn't flinch. Steel of blade and eyes remained steadily leveled at Bimari. "So. You joined with the Fearlings, betrayed your calling. Now you destroy what you once created in the world." Tooth's lashes twitched slightly and her face tightened. "I… I grieved your passing for _decades_."

"Grieved!?" Bimari shrieked and choked on her words. "What did you do to help while I still walked in the sun and moonlight, while I withered away living by your ideals?! No, my survival was entirely my own burden. And my greatest triumph."

Tooth slashed her sword through the air.

"Survival at the cost of everything that mattered to you! All those years, those lessons- _You_ taught _me_ about the, the importance of healing, including how vital- how much _care_ you took to _do no harm_. And now, your sweet bees with their healing honey and your golden serpents that helped _regenerate_ what had been damaged are, are- What have you done, Chikitsa? How is it even poss-"

"Oh, little girl, little girl, foolish little child. You can't have Chikitsa without Bimari. Had I not known illness intimately, I would not have been able to heal.

"To heal, one _must_ know harm. To fight poison, one must first drink it to build up resistance. But why resist? For me, with my own life and power draining away, abandoned by the world I served, the poison became so sweet... I drank until filled with it. Here was power still. Power to take from others. And what power! The fear that illness creates!" She crowed as if relishing a memory. "It feeds my Fearlings and they have made me strong again. And sanctimonious spirits?"

Bimari laughed, gloating, wasps flying from her mouth.

"Now my venoms and poisons can make even the strongest immortal weak in an instant." She looked with satisfaction at the mini fairies who had been stung and were now comatose. "And even a very little, given time, can _destroy_ any spirit completely. The damage grows until unstoppable. Do you know how many of my _old friends_ I have consumed, pretty birdy?"

The strength in Tooth's face fell to shock. "I would have… I would have known if you were _here_ all this time, hurting-"

"Yes, yes. I have had to sleep for so long, hidden in my diseases. Slowly collecting just a little more power with each outbreak. I thrive in the living until they are no more. I have been waiting and waiting, and now… I will be satisfied. I thank you for bringing such a feast to me. I woke as soon as I smelled his sweet aroma flying over. You really should have known better than to flaunt him."

"Wh-what?!"

"Him?!" Jack's face mirrored Tooth's bafflement. He was pretty sure he was the only 'him' here, and he was pretty sure he didn't smell like anything. He tried to inconspicuously sniff his hoodie.

"This one you have with you is hard to ignore. Who can sleep when such a treat is present? The pull of Winter shifting the balance. Such delicious power calls to us. I wanted to taste it for myself. So pure still…"

A viper snapped like a whip from the branch nearest Jack, fangs reaching for his throat. By the time Jack had his staff angled in the right direction, Tooth's sword had already sliced clean through the scaly hide from fang to tail, the snake's own momentum tearing it apart on the blade she held aloft.

"No." Tooth's face was red with fury, her teeth bared. Every feather quivered and seemed to take on a razor edge.

"Spoilsport."

Then the world seemed to shift slightly and without warning, the venomous creatures surrounding them jerked back and blended hastily into the shadows. Bimari shot a bitter look behind them. She dissolved once more, her final words hissing from a trail of quickly rotting trees spreading in the opposite direction. "I guess, I'm not the only one looking for a bite. Frost, you called the very darkness of Winter here, too. Toxic to us Summer spirits. Nicely done."

Her voice echoed faintly from the crumbling tree trunk right beside Jack, whispering in his ear, "Until next time, sweet poison."

Jack jerked and spun toward the sound, but every trace of Bimari and her creatures was gone. Really gone this time, the heavy blanket of darkness finally clearly recognizable by its absence. Both Jack and Tooth immediately stiffened and twirled to look behind them, now aware of the other presence Bimari had alluded to.

Tooth's eyes narrowed and she raised her sword, but Jack froze, mind as silent as prey desperate to stay hidden. He recognized the spirit. The memory of this presence had plagued his worst dreams for centuries.

The feeling barely brushed their senses before it, too, vanished. But it was enough for Jack to experience vertigo from the ponderously heavy, frigid Winter power tug against his own dizzyingly.

"That was a Fairy Queen. In _my_ realm, uninvited." Tooth looked furious.

A few of her mini fairies began crying out in alarm. The dozen or so little warriors that had been stung or bitten now wore agonized grimaces.

"Girls! Oh no!" She rushed forward, sheathing her blade. She cradled as many of the wounded in her hands as possible, quickly checking each over with a medic's eye and gentle efficiency.

"Here."

Jack responded automatically to her stern, urgent command, taking the three little fairies she held into his own hands. They felt so small and light. Their colors were faded, wings hung limp. They were twisting around so unnaturally. Just like the dying birds had. Jack cradled them closer to his chest with a mournful sound.

Tooth reached into her pouch and pulled out a small jar of clear, golden, honey-like medicine. Before Jack could figure out how to assist, she had opened the bottle, dipped her fingers into the stickiness and with confident movements applied it firmly but carefully to each wound beneath the feathery coats. Starting with the winged creatures in Jack's hands, she quickly performed the same ministration on each fallen fighter her healthy fairies brought forward.

In under a minute, the writhing had stopped and the pain on the tiny faces changed to simple relieved weariness.

Tooth wore the same look as she slowly scanned the dark forest around them a final time, her bright glow illuminating the stillness.

"There is nothing more to be done here. Let's go back to the palace and let them rest."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Jack had entered the palace silently, but this time it had not been in good fun.

He was once more covered in fairies, but they were more sick than saucy. He sat on the floor of a large platform and held the recovering minis close to his chest, wrapped up in one big blanket with their little heads popping out of the top. A few were asleep, but most were drowsily awake and seemed comforted by his presence. Their queen had settled them snuggly after insisting Jack wash off the blood still spattering his face. She had then moved to another chamber to communicate with the rest of the Guardians about this new attack. Without asking, she had seemed to know he'd prefer staying here.

Jack leaned his head back against the trellis-like wall, trying not to cry. Many healthy fairies were clustered on or around him, and they needed to see strength rather than a reminder of their sorrows.

He remained still as he heard the familiar barely-there chime-like sound of Tooth's wings whisper through the room again. She landed beside Jack and ran a finger over each little head sticking out of the blanket. She crooned softly to them and they returned the sound, many succeeding in brave smiles.

She sighed, then breathed deeply of the dimly lit predawn air, looking into the mists outside her home. The clouds that Jack had played in above the palace the morning before hung dark as they poured out a sleety rain, chilling the usually warm tropical breeze. Tooth's voice was barely louder than the rainfall.

"When did spirits go from disappearing to dangerous?"

Jack remained silent. He miserably held the wrapped fairies a little tighter against his chest, his eyes burning. Bimari's words had made it pretty clear- this was his fault. She had come because of him and his Winter problems…

"I still raise them. Some of her bees. Their honey heals just about anything." A tear slipped from each of Tooth's eyes. "I guess… not everything."

Jack sat up straight, jostling a few of the healthy fairies perched on him. He could tell Tooth had stopped breathing for several seconds, literally choked by her grief. A jarring stray thought entered his mind- how many of the paintings on her walls were of old friends- maybe family- who were no longer around? And he had brought this pain back to her.

He reached out a hand to where she sat, just next to him, hunched forward with palms pressed against the floor. _She_ had comforted him with an easy touch all day. He wanted to try…

His fingers were an inch from her shoulder when they stopped and would go no further. He just… couldn't push them forward to make contact. He could feel his heart rate accelerate and breath grow shallow.

Baby Tooth, sitting on his head, chirped to get Tooth's attention. The fairy queen blinked up and for a moment he could see his own reflection in the glassy sheen of her teary eyes. He looked… scared. And strangely transparent.

The angle of her face shifted and he could see the purple of her eyes normally again. Full of sorrow, they were still strong. As was the hand that reached up and grasped his where it hovered, frozen in more ways than one. When her fingers closed around his, Jack could almost feel a tangible warmth spread from where their palms connected, a strength.

She took a moment to wipe her eyes with her other hand as she pulled their interlocked ones up to her chest.

"Well. I guess that's one friend I don't want to learn from." She took a breath to steady the waver in her voice. Straightened her shoulders. A Memory look flitted across her face. "It _is_ hard, though, isn't it? Trying to find our place and have faith in it when everything seems to undermine."

Jack's voice came out more hushed than he had intended. "How _did_ you find the right way…?"

A couple of the little fairies attached to his hoodie or perched on his legs gave their adorable squeaky laugh. Tooth raised a brow at them.

"Uhh… It maybe took a few… centuries." She nudged him with a tired smile. "But. None of us had to do it _alone_. Not sure… I would have gotten there. Without someone to talk to, without support. I meant what I said, Jack- I can't change the past, but we're here now. A hundred and sixteen percent." She leaned forward and whispered, "The extra sixteen is your signing bonus."

Jack couldn't help a chuckle. He gave her a half smile, then looked down at their connected hands as if the right response might be written there. But the warmth began to feel too hot, the pleasant feeling turning prickly. If he held on much longer, it would start burning him.

What could he say to her? The whole reason he had shown up today was to ease her worries, but they had only escalated. And it had hurt her in other ways, too.

Jack looked back up at Tooth, trying to find that new safe feeling again. The connection. But instead...

He had a vivid flashback. How crushing it had been to see her look of horror when he had failed to protect Baby Tooth and the Guardians at Easter. Every time he remembered their faces in that moment, an icy, paralyzing dread filled him. He didn't want to give her another reason to reject him, and… and what if it was _right_? That was the thought that terrified him the most.

Was he _still_ messing up, doing more harm than good, even with this second chance?

Really, what had he done so far, total?

He saved his sister. Jamie kept believing. Um, what else? He'd made a few kids happy, but he'd been doing that before the Oath. He helped protect those children in the woods today… but they wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if he hadn't floated along over Bimari's sleeping place and woken her up. And what had happened because Jamie believed in him? He'd gotten hurt. He _had_ saved his sister… and left her alone with her grief and guilt. And then there was Sandy dying and Easter and Baby Tooth and all these suffering little fairies and…

He could almost hear the heavy THUNK of an anvil landing on the Bad side of his karma scale, flattening it to the ground in permanent judgment. Naughty list indeed.

Well, _fine_. At least he knew. All that these attacks had done was clarify the Frost layer of the Jack problem. It wasn't just his character that needed fixing, it was this… condition.

At least those were _his_ problems, things he had the ability to do something about. He just needed to fix _this_ \- he mentally gestured to all of himself.

But it wasn't like he could tell _Tooth_ that. No magic honey was going to make it all better. He had to face this and figure out how to tip that scale back, be a Good in the world. He could do it. He had his Center and a purpose to guide him now. And once he was certain it could work, then he'd have something worth sharing.

Just like when he messed up at Easter, explanations and apologies would be empty and pointless, serving only to push them away. Cast him out. He needed to _show_ , not tell.

Tooth had been studying him, her serious face taking on an edge of compassionate concern at whatever she saw there.

"Jack. I'm here now."

She was. And he wanted it to stay that way. So he remained silent.

Completing the pillar run without further interference with Guardian business should do the trick. Maybe… do it safely and consistently for the next few years, just to make sure, before letting them see his good work. He just needed to keep the danger away from the others. Lock down the Winter in him so other spirits wouldn't have a reason to seek him or anyone associated with him out. He didn't want to hurt anyone else. A few years- that would be easy to get through. As long as they didn't leave him before then.

_They won't leave._

_They_ won't _leave._

"You may never be able to leave."

Jack blinked out of his thoughts to find Tooth taking back the blanket of recovering helpers and looking at the increasing number of mini fairies hanging off him. One was even trying to perch on his left ear. How had he missed that? Tooth was grinning again at last, and it was beautiful and real. Yes, she was still here.

A smile slowly began to find its way back on his pale face. Being nuzzled adoringly by a flock of soft little fairies was not a bad feeling at all. One standing on his knee gave him an expectant look as she twitched her tail feathers. A happy little feeling skipped straight out from his Center in response. Raising his hands, a flurry of large sparkling snowflakes burst into the air and floated erratically around the group. With happy chirps and excited squeaks the mini tooth collectors immediately made it a game- or rather, games. Whether they were playing catch or keep-away or competing to collect the most flakes, the mini fairies were having a wildly good time amid the blue twinkles of fun magic that surrounded Jack. Tooth was gleefully directing her troops to each advantageous opening or opportunity to score, somehow managing to keep up with all three games and avoid taking sides. She really was a marvel. Jack's smile expanded and softened as waves of joy eased any remaining signs of pain from the fairies who were watching the games from their recovery cocoon.

He could do this. Just a few more weeks this year. Just a few more pillars, and things would calm down as they always had. Then he could relax and focus on being the best Guardian he could be. He'd keep it low-key and…

"Ahhh, Jack, this is just what we needed, but I _should_ try to get ahold of Bunny again. He's not in the Warren, and the last my fairies saw him was yesterday in Chile, of all places-"

Gasping, Jack shot into the air, leaving the feathered beings tumbling around in a startled puff.

He looked at his staff, his Winter conduit.

He knew why Bunny wasn't in the Warren. And it was bad, bad, bad, _so bad_.

Jack had left a blazing trail of his frost power looping all over the world for Bunny and an untold number of children to frolic in. Total sitting ducks.

Auuugh! He was a complete _idiot_. He'd left Bunny a "gift" that directly connected him to this danger. Why had thought it such a good idea?! He had simply imagined how much _fun_ the Pooka could have. Figured it could make up for a few of the believer losses he had sustained when Jack had failed to protect Easter this year.

A wave of fear crashed through the joy. All the blue sparkles disappeared.

Tooth and her fairies stared at him in alarm.

"I'll go find him. I know how, it's, it's part of the game…"

"O… kay… Jack, is something wrong?"

Jack bit his lip. It might be good to have her as a backup option. He didn't want her to know the potential problem he'd caused, and he'd probably get demerits from the Moon or something for pulling her into this instead of fixing it himself, but what if Bunny really needed help? It would be selfish to hold back any help possible just because he was ashamed or might get in trouble. It wasn't just _his_ problem at the moment.

"I, uh… what if he's in danger? I mean, he's playing a game _I_ made," He waved his staff in demonstration, frost and flakes floating through the air. "You heard Bimari, and Wick found me because of this and…. I just- I need to go check."

Tooth had flown up to face him directly, nodding.

"Good thinking. I'm sure he would have found a way to let us know if he needed help, but better to make certain. Hold on."

She zipped away, returning a few seconds later with a few objects in her hands.

She held up a jar of magical medicinal honey. "Just in case. Poisons, venom, sickness, wounds, you name it. If you ever run into Bimari again, use this stuff right away, even if it seems minor. The amount of toxin is only one factor that determines the severity of the effects. The longer it's left untreated, the deeper the venom or poison will penetrate and the more difficult it will be to cure. And remember," She tapped the jar. "It doesn't take much. This little bit could cure a pack of flying elephants."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, but she continued, lifting a palm-sized crystal ball to eye level. "We can communicate with this. It's two-way, but I have to activate it from my end. I'll check in frequently, and you have Sandy's mirror, too. Don't think twice about using them." Jack took both objects and placed them in his hoodie pocket with a grateful nod.

"Um. Your sweatshirt is great but this might be a little more practical and leave your hands free." She held up a simple sturdy brown cloth pouch that could be easily attached to his belt. Jack felt a jolt of excitement.

"Whoa, you think of everything. This is great, I can put stuff in here and take it with me!"

"Yeah, that's how it works alright."

"Well, sometimes I find really cool rocks or, like, yesterday I found this strange pinecone, and I know a kid who would have loved it, but I dropped it somewhere…" Tooth was looking a little too amused at his enthusiasm for the simple piece of clothing, so he quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, it's very practical. And definitely not a purse." He used the straps on the back side to attach the pouch and stashed the two items safely inside.

"Downright manly." He would have felt better if there had been less of a hint of laughter in her voice.

Then she sobered. "I'll be keeping an eye out for _anything_ with my fairies. Be careful and let me know as soon as you find Bunny. He'll give you a hard time for worrying about him, I speak from experience on that one. Just ignore it. It's kind of adorable, actually. Ooo, don't tell him I said that."

A distracted smile flitted across his face, but the full urgency of the situation returned and with a nod, he took off fast. Just before he reached the outer mountain wall of her palace, he turned to look back for a moment. He knew Tooth was definitely still worried, despite her strength and practicality, and this frustrated him intensely.

At this distance, she really seemed like a little graceful humming bird as she hovered there, watching him go.

He stopped. Something tugged at him. A memory of looking over his shoulder one last time at someone he cared about. Not thinking he needed to say goodbye.

Jack flew back full tilt until he all but slammed into her, sending them spinning in the air in a fierce hug.

"Thank you. I'll see you soon." His tone was low and sincere.

Then with a real parting smile and a last look at her stunned face as he pulled away, the boy spirit shot out of the mountain, heading for the nearest Winter pillar. He could use it to find Bunny quickly.

Jack tried not to think about the fact that he had parted with the Pooka on an insult and a glare. Because it didn't matter. He was going to see him again in just a very little bit.

"As fast as you can, Wind."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear...
> 
> Also, now that I've had the discipline to post this, I'll be responding to comments again! Thank you for your patience!


	22. New Life: First Strike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *wanders in*
> 
> Oh, hello. Look at that, it's June. Haha. Ha.
> 
> Well, please don't take this really slow update as a lack of interest. Yes, I had a mountain of stuff to deal with in life over the past couple months, but more than that, I've done a lot of structural/outlining work on the story overall, which I think makes it much more solid, consistent, easy to follow and ultimately satisfying for you as a reader on this journey. :)
> 
> I figured it might be useful to set some (non-spoilery) expectations, so here you go:
> 
> This chapter marks the beginning of the centerpiece of this first arc. The centerpiece is the game changer that happens right in the middle of the story. I'm expecting it to be 3 chapters long, and from a character arc perspective, it will shift them from the more reactive first half of the story to the more assertive action of the second half. Should be interesting!
> 
> To put that into perspective, the first quarter of this story contained the beginning chapters that introduced a lot of plots and concepts and initiated the character arcs. It was capped by the first major plot point - the journey into Jack's memories. The second quarter had them all reacting and trying to manage the implications, deepening the plot, further developing the relationship ties and setting up the pieces for the second half. This midpoint sequence will shift the momentum of the story so the second half will mirror and contrast the first half, building up to the climax.
> 
> The 25 percent of the story that comes right after this midpoint will have the characters acting quite differently as their development continues, and will feature one primary mini-arc that will push everyone to where they need to be for the climax. I'm really looking forward to this section, because it dives into North's history with Jack and introduces a character you've likely encountered in other fics… but I don't think I've ever seen them presented like this. XD
> 
> Then yaaaaaaaaaay, we finally hit the climax that will run through the last quarter of the story! Because so many people ask - THIS will be the point where all the gruesome details of Jack's experience with Spring are finally revealed to all. It's also when the scene that was shown in the prologue takes place. ^_^ Heh heh. Lots of crisis! And then a good deal of resolution before I mess it all up again to lead into the second arc.
> 
> NONE of this would be happening well at this point without the help of my lovely BETAs, Jennifer and Cassandra. They're way more than BETAs at this point. They bring so much joy to the creative process.
> 
> Okay… Go!

* * *

Bunny had almost forgotten how loud the wind could be as it whipped along the contours of his ears when he moved at these speeds above ground. Since he'd spent centuries sticking primarily to his tunnels or stealthily moving through other settings, he had almost forgotten the exhilaration that came from racing flat out in a nonlinear environment - one densely packed with obstacles that demanded he ascend through different levels of the terrain to achieve his goal.

The race to collect teeth with his fellow Guardians had been the first vivid reminder. This second fast-paced journey was proving even more challenging as he navigated not an urban nighttime landscape, but a dense Malaysian jungle under a bright sun. To maintain the speeds he currently needed required him to bound off trunks and branches to keep him mostly above the tree tops and out of the tangle below. To an outside observer, it would have looked like a rabbit hopping through a clover field, the depth of the forest beneath him hidden by the way he seemed to run along the surface of the canopy.

And he was not the only bunny there. Darting ahead, always a little faster than the legendary Pooka, was a small, silvery, translucent rabbit, whisking along the surface of the leaves as if nothing slowed it down, leaving a telling trail of frost in its wake.

After six rounds, the mystery of the game had worn off, but the excitement certainly hadn't. His appreciation of Fun had never been higher, and his determination to protect and support its source and Guardian had never been stronger. He'd make sure Jack knew just how well he was doing as a new Guardian… and friend.

To start with, Hope's Guardian would finish playing this game the younger spirit had created especially for him.

Bunny gave an extra bound of joy, feeling as bright as the sun. It had turned out to be _so much more_ than a game.

It had started the second he had returned to the Warren after his chat with Demi. He was distracted, still mulling over that rare encounter. Demi mostly kept to herself, and no one questioned it. As the last member of Autumn, she spent decades at a time completely dispersed throughout the natural parts of her season, unreachable, taking no concrete physical form. Still, she was ancient- far older than Bunny- and knew the old ways of things. Surely she could shed some light on Jack's situation…

Before he had had time to replay their conversation in his mind for a fourth time, a familiar fresh-and-frosty scent snapped his attention back to his surroundings. His ears perked up with interest as he scanned the section of the Warren currently in view. A piece of paper lay conspicuously along the main path.

He hopped over, picked it up and read the handful of words on its surface.

"Hey Cottontail- time to make a few celebrity appearances! Try to keep up."

A rustling sound came from a nearby cluster of flowers.

"Frost?"

But it wasn't Jack that popped out of a bed of white tulips. It was a playful, animated rabbit made entirely of ice dust, sparkling brightly in the natural glow of the Warren. It twitched its nose in challenge at the Pooka and then took off at a mad scamper. Bunny grinned, intrigued, and took off after it- but as he drew nearer, it sped up. He ran faster. So did it.

Before long, he was racing his fastest as the small magical creature led him through a tunnel into the arid warmth of- he took a quick sniff and gander- the Chihuahuan desert. Mexican side, he realized as he did a mental check of the tunnel he'd just emerged from.

The frost rabbit had paused, looking back when it realized Bunny had fallen a little behind as he checked out the surroundings with his customary wariness. As the Pooka drew closer, the translucent hare raised its tail puff and waggled it in a decidedly saucy fashion before zipping forward to evade Bunny's extra burst of speed.

They raced toward a small mountain nearby, and Bunny could have sworn the icy apparition was intentionally trying to trick him into smacking into one of the small cacti or prickly bushes hugging the flat, dusty ground along the way. But his instincts were far too sharp for such errors, his eyes clear and his banking skills legendary. In a funny way, it seemed like an obstacle course specially designed to work out his strengths, pushing just hard enough, and with a plethora of last-minute surprises to deliver a thrill.

Bunny raised his brows as he realized there was a small settlement at the foot of the mountain they were nearing. But he didn't slow, since the frost rabbit turned aside and headed toward a cliff half a mile from the village border. As he drew near he began to feel a familiar sensation… a strong wave of _Belief_? What?

He reached the reddish-brown cliff-like mountain side and turned a corner around one of its folds to find he was suddenly no longer alone. He heard childish laughter and skidded to a stop, drawing completely upright in surprise. There, in the mountain nook were close to thirty children from the nearby village. Most of them were running around with a handful of frost rabbits that matched Bunny's guide (who was now looking just a tad smug at the Pooka's shocked face). But a few kids sat with paper and drawing supplies, or cloth and sewing material, facing the side of the mountain.

Because there on the rock face was a 10-foot googie-shell-and-permanent-ice Easter egg mosaic, similar to the one Jack had made in the Warren with its vivid, luminescent colors and wild designs. It had obviously attracted a larger audience here.

An audience that was now staring in wide-eyed wonder as a giant bunny-man burst into their midst. And because they were children still full of innocent acceptance, that wonder turned to excitement as they instantly recognized one of their heroes and naturally attributed the magic they had been enjoying to the Easter Bunny.

The Pooka spent the next five minutes being petted and climbed on, listening to declarations that they _knew_ he would come this year, admiring half-finished googie artwork, and just generally being admired. As the flicker of Belief turned into a roaring fire in each of their hearts and the sense of Hope Fulfilled radiated from them, something sunk deep into his bones at the proximity, easing a certain ache he'd been ignoring for the past couple weeks.

He found himself laughing almost tearfully and calling up a few of the googies that had managed to bloom in the Warren that week. He had intended them to start the cold storage stockpile for next year, but this was a much better use, Bunny decided as he launched an impromptu egg hunt.

An hour later, there was chocolate on every face turned up toward the Pooka who was telling the story of how the Guardians defeated the evil boogeyman. As the story ended and the kids began a litany of questions, the frost rabbits all hopped up as if they had received some invisible cue. They began moving back to the village, at first slowly, then picking up speed as the children began following, once Bunny had said goodbye and gently sent them on their way. He tucked the egg pictures two of the children had given him into his bandolier with a quiet smile.

But the sassiest frost bunny of the bunch stayed with the Easter Guardian, and as the children disappeared from view, it flicked an ear at Bunny and raced for the nearest visible Warren portal. Bunny snorted- how did the lil bugger make an ear flick look like a feisty challenge? He grinned with a little of his own mischief and tapped his foot on the ground twice. He knew a short cut to that tunnel…

**-ROTG-**

* * *

A day later, Bunny had been on the move nonstop, but his energy had never been higher. Every one of the six 'playtimes' Jack had set up that he had visited so far had been perfect. Refreshing, encouraging, filled with Hope and Belief.

The frost bunny, clever and inventive in every environment it had led him through, drew him from one location to another. The surroundings changed with each region, but the game was the same. A giant shining jewel of an egg adorned a slightly secluded surface by a town or village, and a small colony of frost rabbits had somehow led children- and only children- to admire it. Each time as Bunny drew near, he could feel the waves of rekindled Belief before he heard the laughter. Everytime, as smiling faces turned to him, he knew with certainty that his legend was strengthened - and therefore his ability to protect these children. It was one of those things he knew would create rippling waves reaching out from each community for years, as Belief tended to do.

The grief he had felt for his holiday after the blow it had suffered this year and the deep anxiety for his Season that had built within him after listening to Sephi were exponentially lighter than they had been a day ago. Hope was everywhere.

And surprisingly, so was Spring. He had finally noticed it at the third site, but it was there at all of them. As his laughter had floated into the breeze, Bunny realized that the air was similar in each place. It was very fresh, filled with a sense of springtime, neither too hot nor too cold.

This extremely pleasant breeze seemed to flow right alongside him as he gave a mighty jump that carried him over a river from one section of jungle to another. And right there ahead, on a sandstone mountainside just beside a cave, a mosaic egg and children and frost rabbits.

He wasn't sure how, but he found himself inspired to come up with new games to play with the children at each location. This, he figured as he watch the blue sparkles fly from the backs of energetic icy creatures, was all part of Jack's gift - he just needed to run with it and enjoy these moments. And because he now trusted Jack enough, he was able to do just that.

But really - how had the kid thought of all this? Had he _known_? That the loss of this year's Easter still ached in so many ways?

With the Nightmare attack, his Warren had been violated in a manner that brought up the most horrific memories. The sense of safety, of home, that he had worked so hard to build back up over the centuries, had been stripped away. And before he had a moment to recover from the recoil, he'd had to feel the wide-spread death of Belief and Hope, fall into the void it left as the power was sucked out of him like water down a drain. Leaving him a hollow, invisible shell.

And worst of all… this meant he was unable to watch over and protect all those children. Unable to live out his Center, reduced to watching in emptiness as they were left vulnerable to disappointed hopes and darker things.

Bunny closed his eyes. He held the small boy and girl who had crawled into his lap closer for a few of moments, relishing the solid contact. His eyes were serious and pensive when he opened them.

No. He knew how Jack knew. Of course _he_ would understand every part of that experience. Exposure to a few days of it had rocked Bunny to the core. But Jack… that had been his whole life.

And to somehow take those centuries of terrible experience and process it through a core of compassion to create something beautiful like this game… And for _Bunny_ , of all spirits…

It was all… unbelievable on so many levels. The understanding and effort this must have taken. The ability to set each piece up and time it correctly. He realized once again how he must have underestimated the frost spirit. He'd always just had this impression that Jack flew around helter-skelter, following whatever impulse gripped him. But this game- the detail and precision- was not something accomplished without insight and skills. The instinctive kinds that were developed with time and practice.

What had Jack been _doing_ for three centuries?

Bunny released the children, who immediately raced after the smaller, frostier versions of his species leading the kids to discover more hidden googies. It had been a creation just like these that had saved Easter- saved _him_ \- by keeping the last drop of belief in him from disappearing down that metaphorical drain. Bunny sat quietly for a moment, observing them interact with the kids as they discovered eggs together. It was amazing how well the magical creatures fit in with the Easter activity. They brought just the right combination of companionship, curiosity and encouragement.

Well, Bunny now knew with conviction that he had been dead wrong to assume 'Jack Frost doesn't care about children'. In fact, he'd never known anyone who cared and understood them better. How else would he have known exactly how to safely bring them here, at just the right time for Bunny to arrive, and ensure every little opportunity for joy was set up- even when the Guardian of Fun wasn't here himself?

Bunny hopped into the middle of the group again and lost himself in their excitement, changing the rules once more. _Now everyone find a green and yellow googie!_

Giggles grew as they tackled the new task. Bunny ruefully shook his head.

He may still have more questions than answers when it came to Frost, but he knew one role the boy fit solidly into.

_Guardian._

Jack had brought them all to what they _needed_. These children had been led by their own belief and a little playful guidance to what they required. And so had Bunny.

 _Guardian_.

Jack had significantly and naturally bolstered an Aspiration- and not just his own. Hope had not only been restored in all these hearts, it had been strengthened. After disappointment had come something better than they'd expected. Their own belief had been rewarded. And that effect would stretch on through hearts and time.

 _Guardian_.

Jack had proven himself a thoughtful ally multiple times in two short weeks. Through acts like this, he had strengthened the crucial bonds needed for them to be a team. He'd focused on helping _them_ rather than trying to grab glory for himself, which was the more obvious route when taking on a freshly minted position. As had been proven more times than he could count, it was as a team that the Guardians were truly able to live the Oath. And if what they experienced in Jack's memory-thoughts was any indication, the boy had probably been living that Oath in their shadow, connected but hidden and unrecognized, for a lot longer than two weeks. Both the implied imitation of the Big Four and the way he'd never given up on his own hands-on methods demonstrated a singular focus on that Oath purpose over centuries of time, with no recognition or reward whatsoever.

Well, no longer. That pale helping hand, already experienced and wise in all the important ways of a Guardian, was going to be held for once.

Bunny managed to pick out his icy guide rabbit from the group and hopped over to make a request. Jack's day with Tooth should be about over, and he didn't mind a double shift with the kid this week…

"I can think of an ankle-biter who def'nitely shouldn't be missing out on this fun, ya catch me?"

The snowy creature perked up and gave a nod.

As the bunny turned to race back towards its maker and pull him into the game, Bunny shook his head again, recognizing the biggest hurdle to their current progress was the frost spirit himself.

If Jack could only learn to take their hands in return…

An icy gale shrieked through the clearing, causing every living and magical being within to look around with a startled gasp. It took only a second for every set of eyes to land on the slightly disheveled Guardian of Fun who now stood 20 feet from Bunny. A Guardian of Fun whose face did not reflect his Center at the moment.

The tense anxiety in Jack's expression eased slightly with relief as his eyes locked on Bunny's. As if something he hadn't dared to hope for was in front of him, but still not secure. An uncomfortable jolt zinged through Bunny's heart as he recognized that Jack looked _scared_. He hated seeing fear in any child, and the glint of it in Jack's normally laughing eyes… Bunny's ears drooped in sorrow at the same time his fists tightened in anger.

"Jack, what's happened, mate? Who-"

But Jack had broken eye contact to glance with a wince at the children who were staring at him in some alarm, picking up on the tension rolling off him after his sudden chilling entrance. They had just been playing in his magic, their hearts bursting with Belief in Fun and connected to the pool that tied all the Guardians together, no fear to blind them - it was enough, their eyes were open to the existence of Jack Frost. An existence no longer completely hidden by a veil. But those open eyes were starting to look scared now that he was in front of them…

Jack quickly looked down, his expression sinking further as he cut Bunny off.

"They have to go, _now_. And what about the others? Was- were any children hurt, or did you-"

"Hey, now," Bunny's voice had become gentle and soothing as he stepped toward the child-Guardian. Taking in the line of tears rimming Jack's eyes and the way he held his staff closer as Bunny moved forward, he raised a paw in a calming gesture. "Everything's good, mate. Nothing but funtimes so far. Just- Just stay calm and tell ol' Cottontail why ya look like someone melted your favorite snowball." He had moved close enough now that he could speak the next sentence very quietly, so only Jack could hear. "No sense in upsettin' the children, Jack."

Jack looked up at him, face tense, then gasped as something behind the Pooka caught his eye. Bunny quickly spun to see what had startled Jack, but all he could see were a couple of the children running after three frost rabbits who were darting for the trees. With a puzzled frown, he turned back just in time to see Jack's angry expression and raised staff before the boy slammed the wooden pole into the ground. A thundering snap sent streaks of blue-white magic to tear through all the frost rabbits, each one twisting unnaturally for a moment before exploding into snowflakes that didn't twinkle, but fell lifelessly to the ground.

Bunny's complete shock was broken by the first child's wail, which was soon followed by the fearful tears of many others. The Pooka put a heavy paw on Jack's shoulder, barely registering the way he stiffened at the touch, and gave the boy a firm, intense look. He'd never seen Jack look paler or more horrified as the children's unhappy cries washed over him.

"Th- they were dangerous. They could have-"

"Sit."

Jack stared up at Bunny, his misery obviously acute. His eyes were asking for help.

"You'll take them back home? Make sure they get there safely?"

"'Course. Then we'll have a chat and you can tell me why this-" He gestured at the tearful kids, "Was _necessary_."

Jack simply nodded and sank to the ground, knees up and staff curled protectively to his chest.

Bunny gave him a worried glance but turned and hopped over to the children, giving them his best smile and most reassuring words. He called forth all the googies they had been playing with earlier and started a marching line of them back to the village.

By the time the kids made it to their homes with their armfuls of chocolate treats, the small faces were beaming again, the momentary upset all but forgotten. Bunny didn't think a little chocolate would fix things for the youth he had left behind, though. He turned and raced back the way he'd come.

When the Easter Guardian reached the clearing, he slowed and frowned to see Jack curled up, braced against a tree, face buried in his knees, one foot crossed on top of the other.

Bunny sighed as he crouched down in front of the huddled form. On a strange, instinctive impulse, he leaned forward and nudged the top of the snowy head with his nose. Jack unwound very slightly, looking up as if waking from a dream, obviously coming from somewhere deep inside himself. His eyes were guarded, almost blank.

Bunny sat back on his haunches, his expression calm, if somewhat perturbed. He kept his gaze steady and tried to put inquiry rather than accusation into his next words.

"You're better than that, Jack."

" _No, I'm not_. How would _you_ know?!" Quick and angry and vulnerable, like poking a wounded animal with a stick. The sentences had raced out, warring for dominance.

As Bunny leaned back, blinking, he realized Jack had just summed up the heart of the problem in seven words. Anemic self-worth. Trust that was fragile at best. Both deriving from a sense of abandonment - and probably other sources. Bunny cringed as he remembered Sephi's cruel perspective.

Clearing his throat, the Pooka stood to his full height.

"Stand up."

The shell of anger dropped to worry, slightly scared, as the frost spirit scrambled up. He faced the other Guardian, tensing, defiance obviously a flimsy covering for something else. Bunny wasn't sure what the kid was expecting, and he didn't particularly want to guess.

"First position."

Well _that_ obviously hadn't been it. Bunny would have smirked at Jack's baffled expression had the situation been less unpleasant. Instead, he crossed his arms until Jack slowly took the first fighting stance Bunny had taught him. Giving the Pooka just the barest benefit of the doubt.

"You remember the first sequence we went over? It was only eight moves-"

Jack gave a short huff and quickly went through motions- punches, blocks, pivots and kicks blurring together with impatience rather than precision. He somehow managed to do it all without loosening the death grip on his staff. Jack finished with an frustrated wave of his hand.

"That's not _important_ right now, there's-"

"It's obviously _critical_ if that's how poorly ya've learned. Do it right. _Then_ you can explain."

"We don't have _time_ for-"

"There's _always_ time ta get your head straight or there simply isn't enough time to begin with. And you know what helps with that? Training. Meditation. Discipline. So when you come to these moments of urgency- your mind is clear and your actions intentional. Not some irrational impulse." He gestured to the village. " _Counterproductive_ impulse. Do it. Right."

Jack grit his teeth, but tried again, his tension making the motions jerky.

"M'kay, this time, try breathing."

A glare, and the command was obeyed. Somewhat smoother, but the pace was choppy, lacking the confidence that comes when a body falls back onto good training instead of allowing the mind to overthink each piece.

"Hmph. Don't see this improving anytime soon, so why don't you save us a few ticks and talk while you continue practicing. What's gotcha in such a flurry?"

Jack seemed to be finding his rhythm, starting to benefit from both the physical release for his adrenalin and the focusing effect of the predictable, sequential practice. Bunny did smirk slightly as the workout had the intended impact on the boy, but that smirk dissolved into concern as Jack started his tale about frightened children in the woods, morphed into shock at the report of an entire host of Fearlings, and simmered into anger at the news of Bimari's attack on his friends. When Jack's movements became more broken and then stilled completely as he haltingly told of the suffering of the tooth fairies and their queen's sorrow, Bunny almost wished the dark spirit _was_ there so _he_ had something to 'practice' on.

It was Jack's final words, now being spoken as if he had no listeners, that pushed past Bunny's anger. The grey warrior had been glaring into the distance, but fury fell to compassion as he saw clearly the stark need in front of him.

"All of that- it's like she said, _I_ did that. It's _what I am_." Jack was staring at nothing, speaking the next words almost in a trance, as if they were familiar and rang with Truth. For some reason, Bunny felt a distinctive chill, a strange foreign will echoing them beyond physical hearing. "I make a mess wherever I go."

Jack jerked in surprise as a grey paw took him firmly by the chin and drew his face to meet the Pooka's scowling visage.

"No."

"Wha-"

Bunny's ears flicked with each word he spoke next, counting off a list.

"Mexico. Chile. Poland. Qatar. Swaziland. Portugal. Malaysia. One day. Hundreds of children, strengthened an' protected. Filled with Hope. No 'messes'."

Jack pulled back, bumping into a tree that edged the clearing.

"Not _yet_ , but it's only a matter of time." His staff switched hands in an angry gesture. "There are all these dark things out there, apparently with a taste for Jack Frost." He turned partially away from Bunny, tension bunching his shoulders, his posture becoming defensive. "And I just, I drop my staff," He flung his arm out, snapping straight again, "And sprinkle some tasty _frosting_ around the whole world, luring them to _hundreds of children left exposed,_ " His voice cracked. "And- and leading them straight to _you_." He finally turned back to face Bunny, his face wild with pent up frustration.

"AUGH!" Jack spun around and punched the tree three times, fury driven into each impact that scraped off skin and left startlingly bright red blood on blue-white knuckles. Bunny caught his wrist before the fourth blow could land.

The grey arm kept a firm hold and pulled back. Jack only resisted for a moment before his arm went limp, hanging from where the older Guardian gripped his wrist. His face stayed angry, however, and he refused to look at Bunny.

The Pooka had had just about enough of this self-recrimination over an act of innocent generosity.

"This isn't just about you, y'know. This is definitely a bigger problem, an' not one ya need to carry on your own."

Jack looked up at him, eyes losing a little of their heat as they turned cautious. He was listening. Almost hopeful. It struck Bunny as painfully ironic that _he_ was now having to tell Jack to stop looking _in_ and start reaching _out_. On so many levels, ironic. But he continued.

"B'lieve me, I- I _know_. It's _unnecessary_ and unwise to go it alone."

Jack jerked as if struck and began to pull back before Bunny had finished the sentence. A look of bitterness and betrayal twisted painfully across his face, although he obviously was struggling to hide it. The kid was _really_ bad at that.

" _Unnecessary_?" Jack hissed as if the word burned him.

And though that look pierced the soul, Bunny recognized it as the illuminating lifeline it was. A lifeline he could use with caution to pull the drowning kid back in.

He knew that feeling, being _unnecessary_ , and instinctively reached back into his own experiences with his Season to find the words he had once craved, words he had found instead from an unlikely mixed group of spirits who shared a core value- protecting children. Bunny's green eyes carefully assessed the young face in front of him as he pulled on the arm he still held to draw the boy closer.

"You're _wanted_ , Jack. Here, with us. No going back, we're connected like a snake to it's tail. No 'my' problems. They're _ours_."

Jack stilled in complete shock at the simple word 'wanted'. Eyes turned absolutely crystalline, like waters so clear their true depths were hidden in plain sight. His feet brought him unconsciously closer as Bunny pulled him forward, but it was Bunny's turn to feel a moment of shock as the white head fell forward, Jack's forehead coming to rest against the deep fur of the warrior Pooka's chest.

Bunny was paralyzed, nose twitching, ears flicking, his own heartbeat the only thing he could hear. He had just recovered enough to tilt his head and peer down when he saw them. Two tears dropped to the ground from the face bowed in front of him. Then a third. Then two more. With no further thought, he brought his free hand up and cradled the back of Jack's head shifting him even closer so his face was fully buried in chest fur that would catch each remaining tear.

"Fear does this, ya know. Tricks you into seeing things all dodgy. Ya lose sight of what's real an' just…" He sighed with old burdens. "React."

A few moments passed before there was a quiet, muffled reply. "Then how are you supposed to tell what's real or- I mean, if it _seems_ real… how do you understand or even _recognize_ it in the first place?"

"Yeah, not easy, definitely a right sneaky devil." Bunny imagined sending a few boomerangs to obliterate numerous Fearlings and smack into a certain Nightmare King who always seemed to be lurking behind these situations one way or another. "Hides b'hind other layers of darkness, masquerading and manipulating until ya dig deep enough ta scorch it with the bright truth that reveals it for the misguiding pitfall it is. Ya have to stare it in the face b'fore it can pull you down into that twisted reality. All the lies."

"But what if what you fear is _real_?"

"Ya face it just the same. You already know that part. It's the lesson you taught Jamie, an' did a corker of a job, too."

"…oh yeah…" Jack raised his head slightly, face somewhat calmer, thoughtful. "…a little fun instead. Face it another way."

Bunny chuckled at last and began reaching his other arm up to wrap around Jack's shoulders. "Trust your Center. An' like you're always showing, Fun's better with others, right? We've faced worse than this, y'know. Just stick with-"

Buzz-zip- _snap_!

Just as Bunny was saying 'stick' something smacked into the arm that was reaching around to encompass blue-clad shoulders. Jack had looked up even before the sound, as if anticipating something was approaching. Bunny's arm was at eye level for him, so he saw the moment of impact almost in the same instant that he realized Bunny was reaching for the embrace. The Pooka felt nothing at first, and so stared with some confusion at the insect on his arm. But horror rippled across Jack's face in perfect understanding.

A six-inch wasp of unnatural bulk had buried its stinger completely in the grey-furred flesh.

"People really should stop trying to hug you. It's sickening… literally." A voice crowed as Bunny fell to his knees, his legs suddenly ceasing to work. He hunched over. It felt like his joints were being shattered as his muscles twisted tight. Jack dropped instantly to one knee, throwing an arm around Bunny's shoulders protectively and raising his staff to cross in front of the Pooka. The stricken warrior could feel the arctic cold emanating from the conduit and its controller as shards of frost flashed out to coat the entire surface of the wooden pole. With a slight movement, the wasp was frozen solid and Jack flicked it up and away, the stinger coming easily free with the insect no longer driving it home.

The numbness left Bunny's arm and he could immediately feel the sharp and sickly pain of the wound and the venom eating away at flesh and entering the bloodstream. Despite the excruciating sensation, his mind began identifying steps for treatment that would keep him going long enough to do battle.

_Apply a constricting band. Apply-_

His urgent planning was interrupted by the impressive cascade of venomous creatures beginning to leak out from the trees all around the clearing. Wasps and snakes locked together to give form to Bimari, stepping from the shadows of the trees just beside them and looking down with satisfaction. She shivered as Jack's chilling power flowed over her, but she seemed to be relishing it. Her words slurred slightly with surplus saliva as her eyes crawled over Jack's form. "But it must be delightful, this hugging, if they're willing to leave you all weak and off guard and expose themselves, for the chance at a _squeeze_. Let me try."

The slight weight of Jack's arm left Bunny's shoulders and he was suddenly gone from the Pooka's side. Though the movement was agony, Bunny raised himself higher, frantically looking around for the younger Guardian.

Jack had been yanked away by the tail of a 30-foot python wrapped around his ankle. He was held aloft for a moment as he was dragged away. Jack raised his staff. The snake coiled itself faster than a blink around both the boy's slender form and his staff, like a fist clenching around a stick. Though cold-blooded, the ice spreading over its scaly hide didn't seem to deter it in the slightest.

"Jack!" Bunny felt a moment of panic. Though he knew pythons were nonvenomous, this one was posing an even greater threat than one of the toxic biters. If the frost spirit's conduit snapped the kid would be left all but defenseless.

As the constrictor squeezed the breath from its victim, Bunny tried to stand. He fell flat to the ground for his effort, barely able to brace himself with his paws. With his uninjured arm, Bunny hastily pulled a detachable strap from his bandolier and in a swift and skilled move, pulled it snug but not overly tight high on the other arm to slow the progression of the venom into the rest of his system and mute the current effects for a short period.

His head jerked up when he heard an eerie creaking sound. But it wasn't the wood of Jack's staff. Jack had made the only move he could as he'd been wrapped up, nestling the staff between his arms in front of him, bracing it with his own bones. As Jack threw his head back in a voiceless scream, Bunny realized what had happened- unprotected by his arms, Jack's ribs were receiving the full brunt of the pressure. And making a noise that promised debilitating damage very soon...

"Oh yes, deliciousssss." The python's face had changed to Bimari's as she rubbed her cheek against Jack's, her euphoric expression and delighted hiss a gross contrast to Jack's soundless agony.

She had barely finished speaking before a boomerang took her head completely off.

By the time the severed head hit the ground, it was once again simply a python's. The snake's body fell limp, as did Jack's when the coils loosened.

Focusing on keeping his breathing steady and his heartbeat slow to give himself more time against the toxin's effects, Bunny managed to stand as Bimari's voice came from a new direction.

"Aw. That was my 532nd favorite serpent, foolish rabbit."

To illustrate the implied numbers, thousands of snakes pushed through the tree trunks in a nearly solid wall of writhing flesh, the rasping sound of scales tearing across bark nearly drowning the sound of branches snapping free of rapidly rotting wood. Bunny's heart rate accelerated despite his attempt at control. Some of his closest friends had been snake spirits, but this was a wall of doom, pure and simple. Enough dripping fangs and lean, crushing muscles to wipe out hundreds of rabbit warrens, more than enough to take care of the two injured targets in the clearing. He began stumbling over to where Jack was gasping and weakly trying to untangle himself from the remains of the python.

"If you were so desperate to be an appetizer, you needed only _ask_ to go first."

"Bunny!" Jack saw the first six vipers that sprang at Bunny from the grass a second before the Pooka did, and shot a quick succession of ice bolts to freeze them in mid-jump. Fortunate, since another eight sprang from the other side before the first wave had dropped to the ground as frozen icicles. Bunny severed them all cleanly with a single boomerang toss, not slowing his progress toward Jack. He finally reached the boy's side and lost no time in throwing an arm around him and tapping a foot twice against the ground.

Nothing happened.

Fear stabbed through Bunny, cutting through his shock as no Warren tunnel appeared to escape the tide of deadly magical beasts that were about to crash over them.

A look of alarmed realization settled on Jack's face. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his own arms tightly around Bunny, teeth gritting with the pressure on his ribs. They were in the air before Bunny had a chance to adjust his own one-armed hold on Jack. The Pooka clutched the kid's shoulder tighter, staring at the rapidly departing ground. A snake of almost luminescent black and gold made a last attempt to reach them, springing higher in the air than a normal snake would ever manage, but it only grazed Jack's foot before falling into Bimari's arms, 15 feet below.

They didn't make it much farther before a swarm screen of wasps formed above them and immediately dove. A small cyclone of wind and ice shards created a protective barrier around them, the wasps being caught and expelled when they entered the gale.

"Call Tooth!" Jack instructed as he obviously tried to keep his concentration on fighting off the deadly insects with his freezing wind.

"Can't summon a googie from here, and -" Pain was loosening Bunny's grip despite his determined efforts to focus past it. "Can ya find a clear place to set us down? Should be able ta open a tunnel, dunno what went wrong b'fore-"

Jack was shaking his head in frustration. "It's how the venom works. Cuts you off from your powers and begins to drain them- doesn't take long to-"

And without further ado, Jack was no longer holding a full sized warrior rabbit, but dropping a small, fluffy bunny. He plunged immediately and caught Bunny before he fell far, but dropped the wind shield in the process. The makeshift constricting band, no longer attached to the bandolier that was tied to his morphing powers, was now too large for the tiny paw and fell to the ground. The venom flooded his miniature body in a wave that drew a helpless scream from his pathetically twitching form.

The Pooka barely registered the deafening howl of wind and ice or they way the world around them became completely obscured in white, knowing only a pain so intense it pulled him to the brink of unconsciousness in seconds. He did, however, feel it when something soothing, so beautifully soothing he figured he must actually be dying, spread up his arm from the very wound that had initiated the pain. But as it spread through the rest of him, leaving sweet relief on the rawest of nerves, his brain began to function beyond the internal sensations.

He was alive. And so was Jack. And his arm was sticky with a golden glow.

Jack was holding him close, bracing Bunny with his forearm, and had actually curled his body protectively around the mini-Pooka. He was maintaining a roaring blizzard around them.

And he was shouting? Sounding urgent but relieved. And was that Tooth?!

Bunny twisted in Jack's arm, surprised at his own ability to move- and no pain! He saw Jack holding one of Tooth's crystal orbs which was clearly activated at the moment. The winter Guardian seemed to be giving her coordinates.

And with just as little warning as the first transformation, Bunny was full size once more.

The additional weight had clearly caught Jack by surprise as they both plummeted from the protective cocoon of the concentrated snowstorm. Jack managed to slow them before they slammed into the ground, Tooth's crystal communicator the only thing that connected with the earth unhindered as it dropped from Jack's hand.

And it seemed Bimari had been waiting for just such an opening. Now within reach, fangs tore into Bunny's shoulder and pulled him away from Jack, who was simultaneously claimed by another constrictor from ankles to throat.

Before Bunny could move or open his mouth to scream, a vibrant green snake had locked onto his throat and full body paralysis took hold… but it did nothing to numb the pain that shredded through every fiber as additional vipers and cobras swarmed him and bit deep.

Bunny was trapped in agony within his own body. He counted two unbearable heartbeats before his form shrank down again, and he was nothing but a tiny furry body nearly swallowed up by the number of venomous jaws gnawing at his deteriorating flesh.

Jack locked eyes with him, blue full of panic and fear and anger… but whatever he saw in the silent, helpless scream of Bunny's gaze changed all that to something the Pooka almost couldn't describe.

Eyes no longer blue but silver. Strangely wild and blank. And terrible. They shifted to meet Bimari who had moved close to Bunny, obviously enjoying the effect she was having on both of them. She mockingly gave Bunny's head a stroke.

"You see? Once I get my teeth in, fighting back is useless."

Bunny neared oblivion before the sentence was complete. The last thing he saw was Jack, without expression or hesitation, bite into the body of the snake holding him. The creature might have frozen solid and shattered, but it could have just been Bunny's imagination as everything went dark. All he knew as he faded was a sudden and strangely welcome bone-chilling cold.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Silent. He was the eye of the storm. Permanent ice, immovable, indestructible, unfeeling.

Wasps and snakes continued to swarm him but they all fell away before they could get too close, locked in an ice that would not melt.

He walked calmly to where the Spring spirit lay, his raised staff sending a rapid-fire blast of ice daggers to shred through the creatures currently giving Bimari a body. He didn't spare a glance for the bloody pieces that flew across the clearing or pay any mind to the spirit's shriek as she fled to other nearby hosts.

He stood over the snakes that were still digging into the rabbit's form. One tap of his staff and they were frozen solid. The second blow landing immediately after seemed to nearly vaporize them as they became nothing more than shards in a cloud of icy dust.

He crouched down and reach for the furry creature. It probably wasn't still alive, its form so torn and bloody. He was puzzled for a moment as he saw his own hand tremble as it made contact. Somewhere there was fear or some other unproductive emotion. Yes, there was that water dripping from his eyes again. What a nuisance.

He froze the pointless drops and grabbed the bunny with one hand. It hung limp in his grasp, unmoving- but then he hadn't expected anything different. Time to leave, there were more threats entering the wide space he had cleared around them, and for some reason the ice and wind were growing difficult to pull forth from his power core.

Two feet in the air was all he managed before he came to a hard landing. He was aware of a throb shooting through his heel.

Of course. That one leaping snake had managed to graze his foot, and the small amount of magical venom that had leaked into his system was taking effect. He could feel his powers sealing off at the same time a channel of access was pulling them somewhere beyond his reach. It was like a lid snapping in place and a straw shoved through to drain away his contents.

Reaching into his pouch while new venomous creatures slowly closed in, obviously more wary than before, he pulled out the small jar of honey medicine the feathered woman had given him. He wedged his staff in the crook of his elbow and scooped some of the highly viscous fluid out. He reached for his foot when something powerful pulled the hand coated with medicine to the small rabbit he held instead. A strategically backward move, but one he couldn't override. While something stronger than survival directed his hands, he looked around assessing.

His fingers running over torn flesh was making the eye streams melt again. Very impractical as the purposeless drops did nothing but obscure his vision as he sought a strategic direction for his escape. Oh, the cave. That would definitely help, would channel the attackers from a single direction. He was just turning to run towards it when a snake drew close and leapt at him. He lifted the animal he held, now coated in a glowing golden substance that was sticky but rapidly being absorbed. Just as he was moving to throw the creature to intercept the snake, the other hand lifted and in a fit of seeming madness threw the jar of medicine instead. It smacked the snake aside and crashed to the ground, shattering.

Such utter foolishness. He should get rid of this weak, comatose Spring spirit just to stop the insane actions of… whatever… but apparently that wasn't an option he could choose, either. Now they would probably both perish.

But he made it through the entrance of the cave and spun, staff raised, though no ice magic could be called forth. Bimari herself was leading the mad rush to the cave. It was a supremely bizarre sight, a flood of snakes and wasps intermingled with frost and new flowers trailing after her as she pulled on the two Guardians' elemental powers. But her flowers withered immediately and the frost left the ground black with dead grass instead of beautiful patterns.

He braced himself. Then straightened as Bimari smashed into an invisible barrier at the cave mouth, exploding into the hundreds of smaller creatures that had given her shape. She reassembled herself quickly and tried again with the same result.

She screamed, looking wild and insane in her fury.

"Hide then, in the dark, while I drain the life from you. You cannot escape from my venom no matter how far or deep you run."

He shrugged. The cave likely had other exits. He just needed to find one. The feathered woman was on her way, and she'd have more medicine. Without his frost powers, he wouldn't be able to use the little mirror the sand dwarf had given him, so he'd have to make himself easily findable.

He inspected the rabbit as he began walking back into the tunnel. The medicine was truly fast-acting, though, and had been thoroughly absorbed. Not a streak of it left in the fur or on his hand to treat his own wound. He was trying to calculate how long he likely had before he'd pass out, when the rabbit moved slightly in his arm. He was logging it away as a useless detail when an undeniable flood of relief crashed through him, breaking through the walls of the eye of the storm, the immovable inner ice thawing straight to mist as feeling returned painfully with each heartbeat.

And suddenly he was sobbing and feeling and holding his precious friend close like his life depended on it.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Bimari was seething. Her creatures were mirroring this inner turmoil, thrashing wildly around the clearing and starting to whisk recklessly up the mountain sides.

 _Fairies._ Those human-addicts were so hard to get rid of. Wherever she encountered their fading presence, they managed to interfere. Of course, this was _his_ cave, a sacred place she could not enter. He had long secluded himself here, preserving what he could of his presence, which was apparently still strong enough to protect his stronghold.

But she wanted _more_ , she wanted more _now_.

The flavor of rabbit and flowers and wild and chocolate was growing more distant as the connection to the Spring Guardian ran dry, but the crisp, icy, fresh _lightning_ she was drawing in a sip at a time was more than making up for it. It _sparkled_ through her veins. This was _Power_ , and she wanted to take it all at once, but she knew she needed to pace herself. Her own magic had to process it, digest the foreign energy and change it into her own- poison, venom, disease, plague, death. Yet with each pull of super-elemental power she craved more.

A glowing black and gold viper snaked its way up her form to circle her shoulders and she gave it an appreciative stroke. Yes, it had done its job well. Her special pet, carefully cultivated for just such a target. One she didn't want to lose at any cost. A venom that would run slow and deep. She could wait and drain him slowly, but what if he escaped? Toothiana's vile concoction could sever her tie before the transfer was complete.

This mountain was probably full of holes… like a rabbit warren. She grinned, suddenly knowing just what to do. With a gesture the sky filled with wasps which she summoned closer.

"I think we need to persuade some of our arachnid friends to lend us a hand. Nothing better than spiders to cast a net…"

The wasps scattered in every direction around the mountain, their rushing evidence of their eagerness for the task. They liked nothing better than to turn their venom to mind-control of lesser beings, and mastery of spiders pleased them most of all. In a quarter of an hour, all exits on the mountain would be covered, she had no doubt.

And to flush the rodents out and into her traps…

She lost no time in selecting the newest serpents in her retinue to test the barrier. It pained them, but their magical presence was subtle enough still that they made it through, one at a time. She sent these youngest snakes to seek out every available hole they could crawl through to chase her prey into the 'nets'.

Now it was only a matter of time. She calmed, taking a long drink of frosty deliciousness. How she wished she could watch his face while she did, though. It was so satisfying- he was so young and expressive.

"Jack! Bunny! Are you there?"

Bimari glanced around, hearing a tiny voice now that the agitated hissing had quieted. Oh. Yesssss, the crystal Frost had dropped! She threw her head back and laughed.

She rushed over and snatched it up. Her dark eyes glittered in satisfaction as she looked into the crystal and took in the angry, anxious faces of the final three Guardians. Tooth had obviously called in the troops and they were undoubtedly going to arrive through a portal or something any moment...

"Why Toothiana, so nice to see you again! Tell me, dear, how are your fairies? They didn't quite fill me up, I've been so _hungry_ lately. But your two more substantial friends are such a satisfying feast. That was so considerate of you to send them to me."

"Bimari." For a moment the poisonous spirit saw the lines of ancient strength in Tooth's face. She had the commanding, unassailable presence of her mother, a ruler from the most powerful of times. It struck Bimari that there was no going back from this- either she succeeded or this warrior would end her. She took a long drink of Winter to steal her nerves.

Tooth's voice was as clear and hard as the crystal it issued from. "You have proven yourself a danger to the world, destructive to my realm, and deadly to my friends and allies. If you do not surrender immediately and release all holds you have on innocent creatures - especially Jack and Bunny -" Tooth's eyes were flames and her voice trembled with restrained rage, "I will give no quarter, even to death, until you and everything you influence are destroyed and erased from the histories and memories of all living things."

The Christmas and Dream Guardians stood behind Tooth, their faces just as hard as hers.

Hatred and resentment boiled through Bimari's blood. To be commanded, _chastised_. She gripped the crystal harder and raised her other hand so they could see it. She grew a flower and instantly killed it. Formed a spike of dark ice and promptly shattered it. Showing both her access to and intentions for the sources.

"Come. I will kill your companions that much faster. And I could use a tasty dessert."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Bunny wasn't sure when he was awake and when he was dreaming. All of it seemed like feverish nightmares filled with endless hissing and buzzing and pain.

But the pain began to recede and a few impressions came through clearer. Cool fingers gently soothing torn skin and muscles. Drops hitting his fur. Shattering glass. A lot of jostling movement. A scream he found he was strangely pleased to hear.

These were possibly dreams. He wasn't sure. Everything was dark and he couldn't move. But he was trying. And then he was being pressed painfully and heard a sound he couldn't name exactly that hurt him for some reason. Sounds weren't supposed to hurt. A whimper escaped him in his weakness and confusion. The pressure let up some, he registered gentle movements and then he felt inexplicably safe, cocooned. He drifted off into a quieter sleep as he felt the comfort of a steady, soft thump, thump, thump.

Another sound was the next thing he was coherently aware of. A voice. No, two. No, _thousands_ , but most were an distant, musical whisper.

"Raja Jinn Peri? Never heard of you…" Jack. And he sounded wary.

A sigh followed his comment. Then a deep voice.

"I was caring for humans before you were a glimmer of a thought. Now barely a local name, as the story connections fade. Only the place-power of this cave keeps me tied to this world."

It was echo-y. Bunny was aware he was somehow securely held aloft. His flesh felt a little tender but it barely ached, a relaxing coolness spreading through him and calming the remaining swelling. He thought he cracked his eyes open, but he saw little. A soft glow illuminated a large cavern with stalactites and stalagmites of every size reaching for the surfaces opposite them. The colors were remarkably varied and a unique tone seemed to sing out softly from each spire. Bunny wondered abstractly what kind of stone created that effect.

But he saw nothing living or moving. The rich voice continued, coming from the blank air in front of him.

"Time for stories later. Always _later_ , it seems. Nevermind. Now you have little time, with such toxic magic trapped in you. Her vipers invading my tunnels, their filth desecrating the safehold I maintained here as the ages passed." Bunny could physically feel the rumble when the voice growled.

As Jack spoke again, Bunny realized he was resting against the Winter spirit's chest. "Yeah, Bimari's not very considerate. Or up to speed on personal boundaries or… sanitation..."

A chuckle.

"Well. We are skilled at leading the ill-favored astray. _You_ must go deeper, where it is safer. I will check the mountain for an escape. These passages are my own, I can summon you where I need you when a safe passage is found."

Then the voice became louder, filling the cavern. "My Orang Bunian," the thousands of voices without form murmured louder briefly, as if responding to an address, "You must ensure these unclean serpents do not hinder our guests. Lead the snakes down dark tunnels, call to them, keep them trapped here until flesh withers from bone. Lost forever."

"Lost forever." "Ours to find." "Ours to keep."

The small voices faded as they departed, then changed to beseeching cries that called for help. The sounds of trapped victims.

Bunny could tell Jack began moving, stepping rapidly forward.

"DON'T FOLLOW THE VOICES."

Jack jerked to a stop as the cave seemed to shake.

"O-okay." Bunny felt a hand press him closer and realized for the first time that he was actually wedged in the top of Jack's hoodie, his face and paws emerging from the neck and his body kept snug against the boy's throat and chest. It was surprisingly comfortable.

Raja Jinn Peri's voice was quieter and gentle when he next spoke.

"Take this to see your way." A concentrated glow formed in front of them, yellow-white like the sunlight.

Jack cleared his throat. "Not to be ungrateful, but… why are you helping us?"

Exactly what Bunny had been wondering. It wasn't wise to trust random mysterious spirits in caves, especially ones that were 'skilled' at 'leading astray'.

There was a delighted, wild, low-toned laugh.

"Your boldness does you credit, little one! Very simple. You are the favored of the queen. And…"

Bunny could feel Jack tilt his head at the pause. Peri's voice became wondering and yearning and wistful, a strange combination for a tone so deep.

"You brought the children, helped lift their hearts. Dwelling here in this cave, the last bastion, my humans are usually far from reach. You brought them to my door with Joy itself. To see their faces and hear their laughter… to see Belief grow, and Story build… it was a sunrise flooding our dark world. I grant you a boon in gratitude, child."

The fairy light hovering in front of Jack grew brighter and Bunny thought he could almost see an outline of _something_ in the glow. A tall form of indeterminate bulk. Was he imaging the pair of copper colored eyes gleaming at them?

"I will check the mountain for an escape and find you again."

A beckoning cry sounded close by.

"Don't follow the voices."

The strong presence dissipated, but the light remained. Bunny's mind was finally clear enough to recognize that this wasn't a dream. He swallowed against a scratch in his throat and spoke.

"Generally good advice, not following strange voices. Kinda ironic _coming_ from a strange voice..."

"Bunny!" And he was being crushed, arms clenching tight around him as a slightly damp cheek rubbed against the fur of his head.

"Oy, I need ta breathe, mate."

Jack just laughed in a strange, choked way and held him still for a moment longer. Bunny could feel the thudding of Jack's heart. He nudged the boy gently under the chin in reassurance.

When Jack released the death grip and smoothed a hand once over Bunny's head, careful of his ears, Bunny spoke again.

"So, we're in a cave with disembodied voices. And snakes."

Jack laughed again. This time it sounded a little less desperate and a little more delighted. He began walking in the opposite direction of the most recent call for 'help'.

"And yet we're significantly better off than we were before." Jack quipped.

The frost spirit quickly updated him. They had been wandering in the cave for about 20 minutes, and he'd already discovered three tunnel entrances out of the maze. The openings had been completely blocked by thick webs that seemed unbreakable, extremely adhesive and burningly acidic to the touch. Oh, and jostling the strands seemed to summon a swarm of spider-riding wasps on the other side, ready to attack any entangled victim.

"Spider-riding wasps."

"Yup."

"Super-glue acid webs."

"Uh-huh."

"Caves full of deadly magic snakes."

"And don't forget the disembodied voices calling us to our doom."

"Right. Who comes up with this stuff?"

"We may never know."

Bunny shook his head. Then a drop of water hit his nose. Smelled like melting snow.

The Pooka summoned some energy and wiggled around slightly until he could see part of Jack's face. The kid definitely didn't look so well. Even in this dim light, Bunny could tell Jack's hair and eyes looked dull, and drips of water that didn't seem like sweat were running steadily down from his hairline. What's more, from what he could feel, the frost spirit's skin was more clammy than cool. And he realized what had been bothering him about their movement- Jack was walking with a limp.

Not good.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

A rapidly rotting tropical forest surrounded the cave-laced mountain in eastern Malaysia. As three airborne Guardians viewed it from above, the landscape seemed to move. It was filled to overflowing with buzzing and slithering things and flickering shadows. And as North, Tooth and Sandy swooped lower and brought their forces to bear on the sea of writhing pestilence, the scene suddenly seemed to get much fuller.

Streams of heavily armored yetis poured from snowglobe portals, smashing maces, pikes and axes into the bodies of any snake that slithered near.

Thousands of mini tooth fairies speared wasps with their beaks, ripped wings apart and kicked eyes out. Hundreds more flew over the mountain where the forest Orang Bunian fairies had told them Jack and Bunny were trapped. The mini Tooths were searching for a viable entrance.

Dreamsand flew through the air in every direction, knocking out wasps and snakes by the swarm.

The Guardians had already spotted the sickly beating heart of the problem, and they lost no time closing in on Bimari from the air on sleigh, wing and cloud as their helpers cleared a path.

They could see the commanding spirit watching their descent with calm fascination.

When they were almost upon her, she raised some kind of pole in the air and a biting blizzard slammed into them, sending them back and crashing to the ground.

Sandy right himself and stared.

Tooth shook ice from numb wings in shock.

North climbed free of the toppled sleigh and growled, as they all three began to piece together the implications.

That was a _lot_ of Winter power.

"Jack…" Dread filled Tooth's voice.

"Yes, I'm enjoying the main course, but like I said, I don't mind a few more sweet morsels along the way." Bimari mockingly called them closer with a gracious gesture of hospitality, as if they were dinner guests. She grinned maniacally as she pulled a small snake from her arm and flash froze it solid. She licked it and bit off the tail, like it was a popsicle. "I've developed a taste for cold things."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Jack felt that swirling feeling again, and his steps faltered as the room spun. He slowed his pace until the vertigo passed then lengthened his stride again.

He was trying to think clearly but it was all just a jumble of half-formed thoughts. He felt wilted with fatigue, and the _vagueness_ of the surrounding world was nothing short of distracting. Everything was locked up inside, including his ability to connect with the elements around him. He could hear the water dripping from stalactites but couldn't _feel_ the drops as they moved. Could smell the strange intermixings of old, stale cave air and the occasional fresh whiff of outside air, but couldn't tell where any of it was coming from or how the tiny swirls were moving around him.

His Winter core was a contradiction unto itself- it seemed to be bloated without the usual outlet and yet it was being drained away in slow and uncomfortably hollow pulls that he was trying not to react to.

"Were _you_ bitten or stung?"

Jack blinked out of his achy haze. He rubbed a hand over the blue fabric at the top of his hoody, comforted by the warm weight it held. It took him a moment to actually process the words.

"Nah, just a little scratch on my foot from that one that jumped at us when we were flying. Nothing major."

A miniature Pooka paw reached up and wiped some of the water from Jack's chin.

"Uh-huh. A little elvish coronation headgear might have been useful in such a situation, eh mate?"

Jack's mind cleared for a moment as he laughed, so relieved that Bunny seemed to be recovering and coherent. _Seemed_ to be. But his own foot was throbbing and he was experiencing more frequent dizzy spells. If he was feeling like this with such a small dose, what must Bunny be going through? And he hadn't shown any signs of returning to full size yet, so that wasn't good...

Jack pulled the small furry body free of his hoodie for yet another check. The wounds had all healed over and the eyes were clear, if weary, and it felt like the fever was almost gone...

"Calm down, Frostbite, I'm fine."

"Frostbite?!"

"Ya bit that constrictor, didn't you?"

Jack cleared his throat and pointedly didn't respond, carefully wiggling the rabbit back in place under his outer shirt.

"Besides. It suits you," Bunny said stubbornly, crawling immediately out of the hoodie to stand on Jack's shoulder. He was studying the pale face as he assumed a better viewing angle and placed a tiny grey paw on Jack's temple. Whether to keep his own balance or get some kind of reading on Jack, the younger spirit couldn't tell. The green eyes apparently didn't like what they saw, since they started glaring. "You're a real pain, y'know that?"

"Yup!" Cheerful confirmation of an insult equals more grumpy Bunny, Jack thought with a grin. Both entertaining and useful to keep said Pooka's determination and energy up.

"Ya didn't use any of the medicine on yourself first, did you? Ya drongo..."

"Come on, Bunny it's just a scratch," Jack knew better after what Tooth had told him about the venom, and apparently his casual delivery was unconvincing as Bunny scowled. Jack fought a giddy laugh, because little Bunny managed to look cuddly even when he was all mad, his ears flicking a punishment against Jack's hair that he barely felt. The feeling tickled over into a sustained sense of mirth as his head grew lighter.

"I can't believe you came up with a pun…" Jack crowed. "Frostbite…"

The Pooka rolled his eyes and crossed his arms unrepentantly.

"I mean, I know you're all out of sorts, lil bun, but was that perchance an attempt at… humor?" Was he slurring a little? Nah...

"Nothing funny about any of this." Bunny was definitely glaring now, but it was laced with concern.

"Well you got that right, your routine definitely needs work."

"Your brain needs work."

"Aw, c'mon… _humor_ me."

Jack's laugh at his own joke bounced from the cave walls, and it seemed to ease Bunny's tension somewhat. The boy paused as they heard a voice, beseeching and compelling, calling from a tunnel opening to their left. Jack broke stride briefly, but then proceeded resolutely along their previous trajectory. He quickened his limping pace as a hissing sound responded from a little ways behind them before turning down the tunnel with the Orang Bunian.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Jack realized he was murmuring aloud.

"Frostbite. Frostbite."

Green eyes glanced over at the young Guardian's pondering face. Bunny began looking abashed but Jack continued.

"I like it! Sounds kind of cool, like a super hero name. It feels different than any of the other things people have called me."

For some reason this made Bunny frown and look down as he shifted uncomfortably on Jack's shoulder. He hunched down and nestled a little closer, fitting pleasantly in the nook beneath the Fun Guardian's chin.

"Look, I shouldn't have called ya names-"

"No, no, this has a lot of potential for a good catch phrase. We should all have one, y'know- always thought you Big Four super hero types could use a little more pizazz in your delivery." Jack's eyes were glassier now and distant as he got lost in his thoughts. He stumbled and braced his hand on the cave wall, leaving a damp handprint behind on the stone. "Imagine, I jump out, ice flying, and yell, 'Frost- _bite-me_!' and if they attack, I can snap, 'I Frost-bite-back!' and when I finish 'em off I'll do a really smug look and say 'Frost-bite-the-bullet!' And then I can call them a name like mangy cur- always liked that one, it's classic- or mix it up with one of yours, like ratbag, that sounds pretty nasty, a bag of rats, or-"

A grey paw clamped firmly over the sassy, rambling mouth.

"Terrible. Unspeakably horrible. Ya do that, _any of that_ , even once and none of us will let you live it down. _Ever_. Augh!"

He glared at Jack in shock, holding up the paw he had just been using to halt offending words. A paw that that ankle-biter had just… bitten! Even if it wasn't hard enough to hurt, it-

"You get what you ask for!" Jack laughed at him before breaking into a skipping trot down the path. "So where should we be going? You're a bunny." Jack struck a pose. " _The Easter Bunny_!" Then he continued, steps wobbling. "You kinda get tunnels in general, right?"

Bunny sighed, but responded seriously. "Yes, and you're going in circles. Turn left here if ya really want to get deeper into the mountain."

Jack followed the suggestion and remained silent for awhile. Bunny surprised him by speaking first.

"I am a bunny now. But I didn't always look like this."

"Yeah, I know, you're usually a little taller."

Silence.

"I didn't always look like _that_ , either."

"What?"

And although Jack stayed quiet waiting for a response, none came. Apparently it wasn't something Bunny wanted to talk about. Or maybe he didn't trust Jack enough to talk about it. The smile fell from his face and something uncomfortable settled in his chest.

Jack had trusted Bunny from his earliest days, could tell he was a decent person, it just never seemed to really go the other way. Regardless, the Pooka had been an important figure in his life and represented a lot of first lessons and experiences. So it wasn't surprising that his first frost creature had been a rabbit. Or that frost bunnies were the first ones he figured out how to sustain- what a simple idea to tie them to the power of the nearest Winter pillar to steady them! Once he'd figured that out, it was a simple matter to set up the games in close proximity to whatever column he was currently creating. Well. A simple matter until he thought about all the dangers. He pulled his thoughts quickly from that derailing train.

There was so much more that tied he and the Easter Guardian together, but… but Bunny wouldn't remember any of it, he realized. And for a moment the whole thing made him kind of angry. He didn't know what he was angry _at_ exactly, though.

Jack paused as the tunnel opened up into a smallish cave. He moved slowly over to a wall and sat, waiting for the current swirling feeling to stop. It lasted a long time, making him squeamish and disoriented and very tired.

He hadn't realized he'd closed his eyes, but he clearly had since he was now opening them and looking at a worried mini-Bunny perched on his knees. He immediately tried to stand, but Bunny put a paw to his chest.

"Easy. Just rest a minute."

That sounded like a good idea. He leaned back against the cave wall, staring up at the ceiling. The ache in his foot had turned to real pain and it was spreading higher. His leg felt on fire. He tried to distract himself with other thoughts.

Bunny's trust.

Well, he had broken it with the recent Easter fiasco. But things were going better now. Maybe… he could demonstrate trust first, one more time, now that Bunny would actually remember it. Maybe he could… oh! A shared memory. Showing a memory of their joint past would show trust _and_ help weave back together one of the many ties that had been snapped after a single use. And perhaps Bunny would finally see him better than the first time around.

_You're better than that, Jack._

He glanced at the small version of the Pooka, who was standing watch on his legs. The adorable grey face was scrunched up in a frown as it looked vigilantly from one tunnel entrance to the next.

_He could only watch as they were shredding and tearing and ripping into the little rabbit form, venom so powerful it was dissolving tissue as deeply as the fangs were biting, eating away at every part of Bunny's spasming form and Jack could do nothing. His own scaly bonds drew tighter and tighter as a silent scream grew louder and louder in his mind. He looked into green eyes, rapidly dulling. He could hear the scream there, too, and knew that when it stopped there would be nothing left of the Easter Guardian._

_He had killed Hope. He had killed Bunny. He had killed his friend._

The taste of blood. Jack inhaled, and it felt like a first breath as his eyes began to see a cave dimly lit with a fairy light rather than a serpent-covered battlefield. He stared at the back of the small furry creature perched atop his knees and just breathed for awhile, tongue absently running over the place where he'd bitten through his cheek.

He couldn't keep doing this. Leaving them blind to the dangers and yet tied to them by proxy.

_"This isn't just about you, y'know. This is definitely a bigger problem, an' not one ya need to carry on your own."_

The problem _was_ bigger, but he _couldn't_ rely onthem. They would put themselves in more danger trying to help. Simply reaching out to him had almost gotten two of them killed, imagine if they actually tried to engage directly with his problems. And he couldn't live another 300 years of punishment because he again failed to _own_ his responsibilities and earn his place.

The support they were offering wasn't his to take.

He almost jumped when Bunny flicked a long ear and spoke softly.

" _Why_ are ya being attacked. Why _you_?" Though the comment indicated he was talking to Jack, Bunny was clearly talking to himself.

There were so many pieces to that question. Some he wasn't able to share yet- he could only tell them about the pillars when they were finished. When he could show them that they were not only _necessary_ but _manageable_. When he had taken his punishment and shown he could 'do better'.

 _"No going back, we're connected like a snake to it's tail. No 'my' problems. They're_ ours _."_

And _that_ itself was the problem. He wasn't able to keep that punishment to himself.

_...shredding and tearing and ripping into the little rabbit form..._

Why? He didn't _know_ why all these spirits were going extra crazy, especially around him. But he assumed… it was at least partially because of this Winter burden he carried. Everyone seemed to want a little extra elemental power right now, and he had always been an easy target.

But until he knew more of those 'why's', he wouldn't be able to anticipate and contain the danger. He needed to face the fact that he was still messing up. He needed to do what he could to minimize the damage _now_. And then figure out what to do _next_.

If he wasn't doing a good job of containing yet, he should at least do what he could to equip the others for the back splash they were receiving.

He knew they had questions about his elemental nature that directly tied to the current crises. Maybe that was something he could share. Show what it was like when he had discovered his piece of Winter power and started to get it under control in his earliest days. Show the danger and that… and that he was capable of doing something about it.

Seeing the first time he had really touched the raw elemental power should answer enough questions. And then they could decide for themselves. What to do with him. Whether he was useful enough to be worth the risk. Whether to stay. And… and if they didn't… well… they'd probably be safer. And that would be… would be good.

He couldn't deny how much fear he felt at the idea of being left completely alone again, though. It churned sickly in his stomach.

 _"But what if what you fear is_ real _?"_

_"Ya face it just the same…"_

Jack bit his lip and stared uncertainly at the Pooka. Who was currently small and injured because of him, but still… _protecting_ him. As Bunny would any useful member of his team.

He summoned his courage and cleared his mind. He owed Bunny what explanation he could offer for their current predicament, and it stemmed back to those elemental questions. He would show them the beginning. The only answers he was able to provide now.

Jack ran his thumb back and forth over his staff, trying to ignite those courage embers into a flame. He found a little hope to add kindling- he _did_ want a stronger relationship with Bunny after centuries of unraveling, and maybe the best way to build the necessary trust was to share a little of their own joint history. Oh… and with the way Tooth had changed the spell, wouldn't _he_ finally get to see what Bunny had been thinking?

Reason enough!

"You know, you were the first person I talked to after I became Jack Frost. Well- I think you were the first _real_ person."

Bunny turned and gave him an exasperated but undeniably curious look. "You're going to have to explain that a little better, Frostbite."

Jack couldn't help a smile at the name. It kept giving him this little thrill each time Bunny said it. A friendly nickname, something Bunny had chosen for him.

He waved a hand in invitation. "Just ask."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

The Pooka's exasperated expression turned a shade softer at the smile, then he scrunched his brow.

This was huge. Jack was offering to share a memory himself. One that would not only finally show him how the two of them had started off, but if he asked right, might provide some of those desperately needed answers to their current biggest problem.

Jack was walking around with a target on his back, and the terrifying reality was that they didn't know what to do about it. How could they protect him from something they couldn't even begin to understand?

He had seen more of a scared, hurt Jack in the past few days than he ever cared to see again. That kind of pain on this young face - innocent, playful and sincere, a face that glowed with contagious joy when it smiled - was absolutely unacceptable.

He studied Jack's tired expression, the tightness around the eyes, the drops of melt water that were dripping down his flushed skin. And that smile.

Absolutely unacceptable.

But they were too ignorant to do anything effective about it right now. Even Jack himself- maybe especially Jack. And he had a sinking feeling that this ignorance had been preying on the boy since day one, leaving him unbelievably vulnerable.

He knew Jack had been hidden by a veil, but how long had he gone as a new spirit before he encountered someone? Did he just wander around, unsure of his own existence for a long time? Knowing even a little of Jack's insecurities made him dread the answer, but he had to know.

And… he'd finally begin to learn a little of his own past with the kid. Was that excitement or anxiety he was feeling?

Turning to face Jack fully, he carefully chose how he would ask the question the newest Guardian was allowing so he could get as much information as possible.

"How long was that, anyway, before you had someone to-" _Let you know you were real? Break the silence? Give you a clue about the world?_ "-talk to? And- and who did ya talk to that wasn't a real person?"

And instantly he was taken somewhere far away and long ago...

**-ROTG-**

* * *

It had been a little over a year since he had been created, and Jack had already learned a lot.

He had learned his name. He learned he was invisible, possibly nonexistent. He learned he could fly and had a friend in Wind. He learned so much about the world, since he had now flown all the way around it several times, stopping in lots of different locations. He learned he could make frost and snowflakes, pretty much couldn't help it. He learned he _could_ help it a bit if he tried hard, but that wasn't very fun. He loved doing it- a purpose in the action even if he couldn't quite understand what that purpose was. He learned there were beautiful sounds, notes that wove together to tell the story of each moment in the world.

But he also learned that silence separating him from people was lonely and painful and a terrible thing to face every day. He learned the Moon would no longer talk to him after that first time. He learned humans would not talk to him, could not even hear or see him. He noticed other beings, usually at a distance, but none of them seemed to notice him, either. He learned he was alone. And he didn't like it. At all.

There was only one time any person in the world had seemed to acknowledge his existence.

There was one being who had spoken back.

Nine months after he had taken his first breath, Jack had been standing on the ice of his birth pond- he could tell it wanted to naturally melt, but couldn't in his presence. He was staring at the spot where he had emerged that first night, wondering. What was down there, beneath the ice? Where had he come from, what was he made of? Why was he here? Did he actually _exist_? Why? These questions burned in his mind more fiercely as each day went by until he became somewhat obsessed. The joy of exploring his abilities and all the new things he was getting to know - Wind was a particular delight and challenge - kept things interesting and he didn't mind trying to figure those things out on his own. In fact, it was pretty fun. But there was an empty and terrified feeling that was getting stronger with each day, intruding rudely in moments of joy, that seemed to tell him he was, essentially, pointless.

He tapped the end of his staff solidly against the ice, trying to at least chip away at it, but any flecks that flew free were quickly replaced by frost. He had to get down there. See where he came from. It was the only place he knew to look for answers.

With no signal, no sound, no shift of the air, Jack realized that there was someone else there, behind him. Spinning around, staff at the ready - not that he knew what use it could be against another being other than to make them cold - the new winter spirit faced… a giant. He craned his neck, looking up, even though they were a few yards apart.

Twenty-five feet tall, at least, with a body so black it was like looking into a void, the shape so dark and indistinct, Jack wouldn't have been able to tell if it was clothed or not. Yet there was a constant glow emanating from him as well, a line of light that outlined the figure like the first distant light peeking over the horizon. The only contrast were his eyes- stark, solid white, with no pupil or iris save for a single thin round circle of blue. And apparently he could talk.

"You are a fool. " Jack was unnerved as he realized he couldn't tell if the voice, so whispery, deep and strangely accented he could barely follow, was actually audible or just filling his mind directly. "And so ignorant I cannot see a future for this world. But that was a slim hope anyway."

"Yeah, well, who are you? How do _you_ know anything about me?" _When I do not know myself?_

The dark face and burning white eyes loomed closer and Jack struggled to stay put and not back away.

"I am here," A huge black finger poked Jack's chest, knocking him back onto the ice. As the boy scrabbled to stand, the giant continued. "In you. But not for long. This is the only time we will meet."

While a shallow thought - _that's fine with me, you're creepy_ \- flitted briefly through his mind, there was some deeper instinct that was _concerned_ by this explanation. Something that said one encounter was not enough, not _nearly_ enough, especially when he didn't know what to _do_ with this singular opportunity. Even if it was a figment of his own imagination.

"There is not much you need to know from me. Only everything you will have to learn yourself. And that is the point. You are new, you are meant to be different. An experiment. For what the world needs now." The face finally backed up as the figure stood straight again, head tilted slightly as if assessing. "It will be difficult. Painful. You will almost certainly fail. And the world will be cast into burning darkness until only ashes remain."

A heavy weariness seemed to settle across the form in front of Jack, and he could feel it in his own chest. A deep, deep fatigue. The remnants of a long battle with despair, held back only by a relentless, stoic resolve. Who was this creature? Something in Jack stirred in response to the weight of the other spirit's emotions. Jack's own kind of resolve.

"What is it I am supposedly meant to do?" Jack shoved against the feeling of despair with the few memories he had- the joy of flying, the beauty of frost, the hush of snow and the smiles it brought to young faces with the promise of sledding and snowball fights. Tiny snowflakes, towering mountains. The thrill and beauty of life in this world- old trees, young flowers, amazing animals, clever people. The confusion of cruelty and darkness, but pure belief in profound goodness and purpose glimpsed in a handful of simple acts in just a few months. The large figure gave a start and went still as he absorbed Jack's feelings in return.

"And what do I need to know to do it? _How_ will I know?" Jack took a step forward with each question, stamping his staff firmly on the ice and spreading a radius of perfect frost with each move.

And in the same way he had known this other being's despair, he could feel the shift to surprise, amusement and wonder, then shock at the unfamiliarity of these feelings.

"I see. Already," The voice had grown both softer and clearer, taken on a sort of energy. "You are who you are. I see. Lunar would not risk so much without great faith in you. And it seems Music has chosen you as well, that is… unexpected. Or perhaps obvious."

Jack blinked and stared harder because he was beginning to see the trees across the pond straight through the massive dark body. The figure nodded and then sat, holding out a hand to the youth before him. "I have almost no time, my existence is spent. I can only tell you two things, although you can learn certain basics from your staff if you pay attention. It will act as a harness and safe conduit in the meantime." Jack trotted over, his instincts telling him to _run_ because this was important and there was not a moment to lose. The smaller spirit climbed into the large palm without hesitation. He was lifted to the level of the unreadable, blurred lines of the being's face.

"When the time comes, you will be able to prove yourself my successor with two signs. First, the obedience of Wind, who will take no other master." Jack frowned. Obedience? Master? A stubborn rebellion flickered in him- Wind was a _friend_. The giant shook his head, obviously aware of these thoughts. "You are a fool. But you are different, and must find your own way," he conceded.

"Second, you alone will be able to hold the power of Winter self-contained and in perfect balance. Permanent and untouchable, the last defense." The hand not holding Jack stretched out and wrapped around a nearby tree, which was instantly coated in a thick layer of crystal clear ice. The young spirit realized two things simultaneously. That ice would not melt or burn with cold without his command. And he already knew how to create it himself, with no instruction, the knowledge instinctually transferred.

"Here is what I cannot tell you. I cannot tell you how to live and learn and become what you must to take your place in this world or create its future. Even were I to try, I would be doing you a disservice - it was very intentional, that you were made differently, aligned differently in every way. I cannot tell you how to face the dangers, cruelty and solitude you will likely endure, with the contradiction of your being and how you were placed here.

"But I can tell you…" The pure white eyes with their hint of blue studied the small, uncertain boy perched on inky palm intently. "If indeed there is anything that can be done to repair the damage, you are who you need to be. Seek your purpose. But be wary. This world's spirits have become so corrupted and corroded I no longer recognize them. Once, I was the darkest point, the most cruel and feared. Now, there are many who have far exceeded me. You have been given certain protections - cruel in their own way, but necessary. Without them you would have been consumed on your first day by any number of beings, if not shattered by the transition itself."

Jack had been focusing so intently on trying to understand the words, he hadn't realized the surface he was standing on was fading. He gasped as he began to fall through the rapidly disappearing hand, before clumsily calling Wind to catch him. She responded instantly and they struggled for a moment to understand each others' intentions before he was lifted back to face the titanic spirit.

A single dark chuckle sounded as the large being admonished, "It really is easier to command than consult her."

Jack just glared. He somehow knew the other being smiled at him, and he was aware that it was an egregiously rare thing.

"Farewell, little Winter. Find your way and shine in the world, else all be lost to darkness."

And with little more than a whisper in the air, the giant spirit vanished. Jack felt something shift inside him, as well. Something he hadn't even noticed before was now gone, and something else… something that had been muted, now lay uncovered and raw. He closed his eyes to concentrate and tentatively reached for it-

It was like touching pure electricity. Searing blue-white light flashed out of him without even needing a conduit and crashed over the pond and all the trees nearby. Stumbling back and clutching his staff, Jack looked around with wide eyes. His first thought was that he was immensely grateful there hadn't been anyone else around. He would have killed them. Everything in a 50 foot radius was completely covered in this… permanent ice. His heart skipped a beat as he immediately tried to pull the ice back. And was shocked when it _worked_. The ice vanished, leaving only a slight mist in its wake.

Whoa.

His attention returned to the seemingly endless pool inside him again, and he let it wash over him. A wild eagerness filled him to use this heady power. How had he been content to simply make little frost patterns and scatter a few snowflakes?! This deep, deep, deep, wide, wonderful energy needed to be used, to spread across the Earth, to make everything beautiful and preserve it in its best form!

From the moment he had taken that first breath, he had been aware of the elements of his surroundings- the shifts in air, the flow of water, the slow, solid hum of the earth, the fire that burned deep within it, and the strange sparks of life around him- but suddenly that increased ten-fold and the whole world was screaming at him.

Or maybe he was the one screaming. Or was he laughing? It was upsetting Wind, either way, she was shaking him rather hard, but that just seemed funny. He could feel everything building up inside and was aware that there was a really bright blue-white light coming from somewhere. Oh wait, that was him again. It just made him laugh harder. Or was that screaming? Everything was so loud he couldn't tell.

Without him noticing or requesting it, Wind had picked him up with surprising force and shot above the clouds before breaking into insane speeds- they did that thing where sound changed and he could barely hear himself.

Then every sense was just gone and all he knew was a burning roar for awhile before something _exploded_ from him in every direction.

Sight returned and Jack saw he was falling from a height a couple hundred feet over… destruction. It had clearly been a desolate landscape to begin with, jagged snowy mountains and a scraggly pine forest with only the hardiest of creatures struggling to survive the arctic clime, no humans for many miles. And now it was all shattered and coated with a 20 foot deep carpet of permanent ice. The nearby mountain had been half obliterated, rocks trapped in ice where they had been tumbling down its newly sheered sides. The forest was flattened and smashed into kindling, fanning out from the point directly below him. And he knew, could sense- there was no longer a single living thing for miles in any direction.

In the immediate recoil of this release, rational awareness returned and Jack, no staff in hand, fell hard to the ground despite Wind's attempts to slow him, paralyzed with horror at a glimpse of what he had done. Lying on the ice, air knocked from his lungs, Jack trembled. When he finally managed to gasp in a breath, it was instantly released in a sob of terror as he could feel the power building back up, slamming back into his limbs from his core. _No, no, no!_

Wind, still frantically howling, flung Jack's staff at him from where it had fallen. He clenched it to his chest, desperate, and immediately sensed the way the uncontrollable energy was harnessed, but not diminished or any less intent on release than before. Still, it gave him a path. And this time he knew he was screaming as he pushed with everything he had to put. It. Back. This terrible power that would tear him apart and the world with it.

And the only part of it that he understood, this knowledge of permanent ice that had been passed on to him, he used to transform the last of the energy trying to escape into a seal to cap it all off and lock it away inside himself.

He thought he was definitely going to die, to blow up, because everything was straining against that seal and his own veins had gone dry but then… a small trickle seeped through the barrier as if through a filter and bubbled back into his body and he could breath.

Despite all that chaos that had just passed, and the remaining ringing in his mind, things actually felt only a little different than they had before this whole thing started. The pulse of Winter through his flesh, his ability to sense nature - stronger and sharper than before, but definitely far less than full power - were stable once more. Added to that was a new awareness of this sealed pit of power he was _not_ going to be touching again anytime soon.

And he hadn't in the half a year since. Jack sighed at these memories, and checked yet again that the chasm was firmly locked tight. Caution was stronger than curiosity when dealing with this sea of Winter constantly persuading to be released.

So, he had had one single real conversation in that first year, and it had been with a now-gone part of himself, apparently. And all he'd gotten was enigmatic, rubbish advice and the burden of intense, unusable strength. Hooray for him.

The young spirit had once again returned to the little village of Burgess, a place that called to him, people he was beginning to get to know, despite the one-sided nature of their interactions. It must be Sunday, he absently mused as he heard the ringing of the small church bell that was used to gather the handful of families. He sat on a rock beside the pond that was still frozen and watched the snowflakes add to the blanket that had been growing since he had gotten here last night, feeling uncharacteristically listless. He was no closer to finding out where he was from or what he was here for, just continued to carry the knowledge that he now had good reason to fear part of himself. And although he found many amusements and wonders in the world, at the end of the day was emptiness. He just… he wanted someone. Anyone. He'd even take Mr. Creepy Giant.

He slipped off his rock and knelt in the snow, scooping up handfuls to create little snow people- he was getting good enough that he could actually make them look kind of like specific villagers.

It took him a moment to pay attention to the shifting of air, but then he realized something was moving towards his position, fast. Faster and moving differently than a human usually did. And… he glanced in the direction he could feel the movement coming from. This something just felt weird in general, different in the way the elements responded to it. Blurring into them around the edges rather than standing out as a sharply defined object. Huh.

Curious, he kept a portion of this attention on the creature's movement as he continued making a snow figure of his favorite villager. A little girl who seemed so sad and kept visiting the pond. Kind of like him, really.

Jack sat up a little straighter as the being approached, and into the clearing bound a giant grey… rabbit?

As the large bunny glanced around the clearing, Jack studied him. He was one of the most impressive things Jack had encountered so far. Quickly taking in the details of patterned fur, long velvet ears, the powerful way he carried himself, the strange harness and equipment he wore, Jack hurriedly scooped up more snow and began fusing the flakes together, wanting to capture the image before the amazing creature dashed off again.

_In that moment it wasn't just Jack's memory anymore. Fragments of Bunny's memory slowly began to weave themselves together with Jack's until both their impressions established a flow, with different thoughts coming through from both sides, some more dominant than others. Jack took it in with a sense of wonder as he began to experience Bunny's former thoughts and emotions._

-JB-

Bunny was so irritated it actually took him a moment to notice the small winter spirit, pale as his surroundings and dressed in a brown that blended in with the rock he was sitting beside. So _this_ was the one who had layered the area with an unnatural coating of snow and ice. He had known it was a Winter spirit's work the second he emerged from his hole and smelled that specific nip in the air. The awful frozen precipitation may be a natural part of the preceding season, but purposely creating it _here_ where it was supposed to be Spring and _now_ on the biggest holiday of the season was an open act of aggression of the Winter court. He hadn't been expecting it with how quiet they'd been lately, but he should have been more vigilant.

Time to nip this in the bud. "Oy!"

His anger increased as the winter sprite merely glanced up, _ignored_ him and continued… _playing_ with his snow.

He stalked forward, a fighting stride, and saw startlingly bright eyes look up at his face for an instant and then down at his hind paws carrying him forward in a trajectory straight for the other spirit's position. The frost imp turned to look behind himself, then back at Bunny's advance, then back over his shoulder, looking puzzled. White hands paused for half a second, then scooped up the couple of lumps of snow he had been working with. He shifted himself a couple yards to the side. And then he just continued _playing with the bloody snow_. Bunny paused for a beat in his advance. Why would moving a few feet over make the sprite think he'd avoid trouble?

Frowning, he crouched down and took two long hops to land directly in front of the snow crafter, lowering his face to eye level.

The biggest, most vibrantly blue eyes he had ever seen stared back in unveiled shock as they met his green ones, like his presence and attention was unexpected or... something. What was _wrong_ with him?

Bunny sniffed the lightly freckled face, observing the beginnings of a stunned smile appearing. The clear eyes blinked rapidly, and the face pulled back slightly.

Hm. Fresh snow. Some kind of pine-mint combination. Pond water. Electricity. Then lots of light layers of dirt, plants, animals, _people_ , even. Very unusual for a Winter spirit. Nothing musty, no death or decay, and not a hint of that smell a spirit got when it had been tainted by the shadows. He straightened, crossing his arms.

"You're _new_." This changed things. Slightly.

-JB-

Jack could only gape up at him for a moment, the beginnings of hope painfully stirring in his chest as a grin spread across his face. The giant-awesome-bunny-man could _see_ him and was _talking_ to him. One single clear and beautiful note rang through his mind, a sound of purest joy. _Not alone_.

"Right, I get that, _mate_ , but that's no excuse for this," Bunny gestured around at the snow and frozen ground, "On _my_ holiday. I'm not going ta fall for the innocent act - who _exactly_ sent ya?"

Jack drank in the words, not really understanding what the rabbit meant but not caring whatsoever. Solitude was broken, and he was reassured that everything was going to be okay in his life.

"The moon." It was the only answer he knew.

"Hah. _Right_. Clever one, are ya?"

Jack had heard children talk about this person, but more than that - he just _knew_. "You're… you're the Easter Bunny." _And you can see me._

-JB-

"Or not." Bunny sighed, rolling his eyes. Great. Winter spirits, came in two varieties, in his experience. Completely cruel or, occasionally, simply daft. This kid was obviously on the daft end of the spectrum. Was it even worth his time to discuss anything?

-JB-

Jack jumped up, staff in hand, balancing on his toes in wild excitement. The kids loved the Easter Bunny! Last year he had seen how much _fun_ the children had hunting down his hidden eggs. Think of all the games they could play together, and he had felt how fast he was, they could race and- ahhh, so many things. Ohhh! Snowball fight! Yes, that's the best way to start!

-JB-

Bunny observed the obviously open, enthusiastic look. _Fine_ , he'd at least _try_. The Pooka changed his tone as if he was talking to a child - which he realized, as he tilted his head and looked at the sprite, this one kind of was.

"Yes. I'm the Easter Bunny. And what does the Easter Bunny do? Bring Hope. To children especially. You know how he does that? He hides beautiful, magical chocolate Easter eggs all around the world to remind them there's always something to hope for and new opportunities ta discover," the Pooka gestured around with his paws to illustrate his distribution of the small gifts, "Eggs for the ankle-biters to find come Easter morning. _That's today_ , mate. You know what makes egg hunts difficult?"

Bunny scooped up a handful of snow, ignoring the twinge of anxiety the material elicited upon contact, and snapped an icicle off a branch nearby. He indicated each as he said, "Ice. And sno-"

Just as he was looking back up, a snowball smacked into his face. For one moment, a very simple, pure desire to laugh floated through him. Then panic and rage shattered the feeling.

-JB-

Jack was floating a couple feet off the ground, grinning in anticipation, waiting to see if the Easter Bunny would launch his own snowball next or chase after him - _fun fun fun_ …

But there was no _fun_ in the green eyes that were revealed as melting slush dripped down the furry face. The smile had barely begun to drop from Jack's face when he found himself grabbed by his shirt and slammed into a tree with a boomerang pressing into his throat. His staff fell to the ground as he instinctively reached up to grab both grey wrists. A coating of frost immediately dusted the arm fur.

 _O-okay, so he can do more than just_ see _me._ Jack's amazement at being able to touch and be touched was smothered by bewilderment at the Easter spirit's reaction. _It was just snow? That's not a bad thing, right?_

Bunny had stiffened, obviously fighting for control. And Jack saw two simple things in his eyes.

Anger. Pain.

What was _wrong_? Didn't matter. That look hurt.

"I'm sorry." Sincere. Compassionate.

Something recoiled in the green eyes. Bunny dropped him and backed up a couple of steps.

-JB-

Bunny looked at Jack, the shock from his own reaction and the responding apology numbing him. He flexed his paws. None of this was right. Winter was not _kind._ It was not _innocent_.

He- he did _not_ have time for this, certainly not today. And it wasn't his responsibility, anyway- this was elemental business. Sephi's business.

He shook the chill out of his arms where the Winter spirit had touched him, eager to shed the despised ice flecks. His face twisted in disgust as they fell to join the white coating on the ground. _Just give the order, further explanation is obviously pointless_.

"I don't care what you have to do to work it out with Spring, but have the decency to keep Easter clear. For the children. You think you can manage that?" Bunny glared.

-JB-

Oh. OH! Here it was. A _reason_ for his (non)existence. He, Jack Frost, could help with Easter, make it nice for the egg hunts. Bringing joy and hope to children. Even if they couldn't see him, this, _this_ was something meaningful he could do, and for his favorite kind of people - little ones! How _fun_! And then he could hang out with someone who could _see_ him, would _talk_ with him. Maybe he could even teach the Easter Bunny to enjoy a snowball fight eventually, because this guy obviously didn't know how to have fun yet. Which was really tragic.

A beautiful, genuine hope began to build inside him, easing the old emptiness gently aside and creating a happy melody.

A desire to impress the Spirit of Easter filled him. Jack looked back up with a determined smile.

"Of course I can." Probably.

-JB-

Bunny mentally groaned. Great, this kid was daft _and_ youthfully arrogant. He probably didn't even know what he was doing. Well. He'd let Sephi know. She could figure it out, this was her territory, anyway. Another glance at the boy's excited puppy face, a twinge of guilt at his earlier reaction, and he decided he could also probably pop by when he had more time and explain a little better. Hey, if there was one Winter spirit in the world who wasn't _completely_ terrible, that was worth paying attention to. He could only imagine what the Winter court would do with this kind of innocence.

"Good. See that you do." He quickly turned away, thumping the ground to open a hole as he realized how behind schedule he was now.

-JB-

"No, WAIT!" Jack cried as the furry, long ears disappeared down the hole, quickly replaced by the smooth ground and a vibrant blue and white flower.

"What do I do?" he whispered, staring at the blossom.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

Bunny blinked away the white and just sat immobile for a moment. There was so much to process.

First, the horror of Jack's introduction to what he was. He could tell that Jack didn't understand what it meant, then or now, but the Pooka was beginning to. And it was very, very concerning.

The melting frost spirit he currently faced was possibly Winter itself.

His mind raced back to his conversation with Demi.

After listening to Bunny's basic elemental questions, she confirmed what Bunny already suspected.

Jack was an unusual combination of powerful and precise elemental abilities and an instinctual, aspirational connection to people. At the time, he had kept the conversation casual and the descriptions somewhat off-handed and vague, not specifying that he was asking about any spirit in particular- he wasn't taking more chances with things as unsettling as they currently were. The less intel anyone outside of their group had about the inner workings of Jack Frost, the better, Bunny figured. But he _had_ gotten some basic answers from her reactions.

She had seemed thoughtful when he described the scope of the frost spirit's natural senses, and he was grateful that she didn't pry for more details than he offered. The combination was unusual in its comprehensiveness, and more indicative of an ancient spirit than one of the newest, she said. But the description of his connection with the emotions and living presence of people especially surprised her. It wasn't something she could explain at all. That was Aspiration territory, wasn't it?

Her information on the turmoil of the spirit world was decidedly more illuminating. Though she had little contact with others as she remained immersed in her season, she had described feeling waves of heat and cold that spiked outside of nature's inherent processes for awhile now. The heat always seemed to come first, but was usually cooled by a steady, soothing chill that rebuffed it without destruction. Usually. The heat spikes and tremors in the earth had grown worse in recent decades, and sometimes a different arctic power would snap back before or in spite of the calm cooling.

Perhaps that was it. If Jack was what Bunny now thought he was, his mere presence may have been serving as a balancing center - a center that was now being caught in the crossfire of two opposite forces that seemed determined to engage in conflict.

A pit of frustration was growing in his stomach again. Jack was not going to be able to sit on the sidelines with whatever storm seemed to be brewing, and he had been so very ill-prepared. Probably had only half-formed ideas about the order of their world because _no one had been there to tell him anything_. Which brought him to the second point.

He, Bunny, had been the first spirit Jack had ever trusted. The kid had looked up to him. Appreciated Easter and children. From day one. Their relationship - Jack's life - could have been so different without his unwarranted, misdirected suspicion and resentment. And that bloody veil that had removed the opportunity to learn better. Although... this definitely threw the question of the veil into a whole new light.

But the only real silver lining was that he had obviously forgotten to direct Sephi to Jack. What a disaster that would have turned out to be.

" _Kids_ like _what I do._ " Jack's defensive line to him from the globe room took on whole other meaning. From their first encounter, Bunny had communicated pretty clearly that he did _not_.

Jack's chuckle broke him from these furious thoughts.

"You really don't like... snow. At all." The pale face was smiling but the blue eyes were hollow. Bunny felt ashamed that Jack had seen his prejudiced thoughts. Of course he'd feel hurt…

"I tried to do stuff with the weather for the Easters right after that, make it nice, but I really _didn't_ know what I was doing yet, you were right. I kept messing everything up. Remember the flooding the following year?"

The boy continued rambling, but Bunny saw through it. He sighed and hooked a small paw into the neck of Jack's hoodie, pulling their faces closer.

"I was wrong, Jack. Those thoughts. Believing the worst by default. Assigning guilt by proxy. Making you wrong before I even gave ya a chance. Scorning and dismissing you. You didn't _deserve_ that." The false smile had fallen from Jack's face as Bunny spoke with a conviction he was trying to push from his own green gaze into the glassy cerulean eyes. "Ya deserved-" Bunny faltered. A million words choked in his throat. Companionship. Guidance. Trust. Purpose. A family. Love.

Jack's lids flickered once, then a small, genuine smile appeared.

"You were really going to come back, weren't you? If you hadn't forgotten?"

Bunny took one look at that smile - hesitant and ready to drop if given a negative response - and groaned, putting a paw over his eyes and kneeding his brow.

Jack immediately scooped him up, concerned.

"Are you feeling worse?"

"No, _ya bloody stupid idiot_ , I'm not feeling worse." He beat a little paw against Jack's forehead in frustration, then paused. "Well not _undeservedly_ worse." The boy was now looking decidedly confused.

Bunny couldn't help a self-deprecating chuckle then as he realized how baffling this brief conversation had already turned out to be and how much they truly had to work out. A single memory was probably the tip of the iceberg.

An iceberg he had never been more determined to face up to.

He opened his mouth, calmer, but they both froze at the sound of a hiss disturbingly close by.

Jack scrambled to his feet, an arm locking Bunny to his chest. He swayed once, then ran for the opposite tunnel.

"Let me down, I can run on my own now!" Bunny called up. He was undoubtedly faster than Jack at the moment and could run interference.

But Jack simply pulled Bunny away from his chest and continued to run with the Pooka held out in front of him.

"Sorry. That's probably too cold, huh?" Jack was panting, face strained with the simple physical effort of running. The kid had obviously misinterpreted Bunny's words as stemming from discomfort, which didn't surprise him in the least given the recent memory revelations.

"No." He twisted in Jacks hands and gave a strong kick, launching himself onto the frost spirit's shoulder. The blue fabric now felt damp. Bunny hunkered close to shoulder, neck and chin, assertively making contact, but he kept his glare on the three snakes in pursuit, ready to attack any that came within striking distance.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

The three Guardians returned to the present from Jack's early memory, and no one breathed for a moment.

Tooth, North and Sandy stared at each other, shock clear on all their faces.

They looked at Bimari who was frowning at the weird way they had all paused at the same time and obviously stopped focusing on her. The way their expressions had then almost instantly shifted from the anger and horror she had inspired to something more complex and deeply felt.

Their eyes widened at the spear of ice she was still clutching.

Ice created from power she was drawing from Jack.

Jack, who had a scary amount of power to draw _from_.

The stakes had just gotten a whole lot higher - not because their goal of rescuing their friends was any more important, but because it now seemed a lot more dangerous and difficult.

Tooth had explained about Bimari's venom, so it wasn't hard to piece together the implications. Direct assault would only speed Bimari's attempts at the full transfer. She would drain Jack's powers to use against them, growing steadily more powerful as they fought. The longer a sustained battle drew out the worse Jack's chances of survival. And by extension, theirs. And, oh yeah, the whole world probably.

A glance between them showed a shared thought.

Retreat. They needed a plan to take Bimari down in a single blow before the situation was exacerbated beyond repair.

**-ROTG-**

* * *

"Almost time!"

Pitch practically flew through the door into one of his deepest chambers. Papers, books and scrolls lining the shelves of a ponderously long room marked it a library.

He laughed as he waltzed across the room to the far end.

He had been pacing for what felt like days as he watched events unfold through MON. Terribly impatient to go to the location of all the heady fear he was feeling, but knowing the _right_ opportunity would arrive soon.

Now _very_ soon. The Guardians, afraid and yet still so blind to the true dangers they should fear. And Jack… He had been sensing Jack's fears like a vibrant fireworks show the past few days, each new burst captivating, the display building with each disaster. All driving to that debilitating fear of self and unworthiness in one way or another. It was like Manny had spent 300 years preparing the perfect present for Pitch, packing the layers of flammable power and lighting a long fuse.

As exciting as it was predictable. He found himself murmuring some of Jack's lines along with him as he watched from MON. He relished the moments his own past words issued from the Winter spirit's mouth, _felt_ it when the ideas he had planted slipped through the boy's mind, showing how deeply they had been carved into his soul. How they had become a centering Truth for the fragile psyche. How strong the connection between their cold and dark still was.

He had basked in the splendor… but now he was ready for action. Even purposely crossing this room, he was wrestling with impatience.

But he _was_ patient. It tended to lead to his advantage. So, a little light reading to distract him while he waited for the swiftly approaching 'perfect moment'...

Maintaining a cursory connection to his surveillance system, Pitch sat in a chair pulled up to a massive pewter desk that stood cold, heavy and dull. He propped his feet up on a corner while he reached for the top right drawer. It clicked open, as it always did, obeying only his touch. He drew out a couple pieces of paper, a satisfied, smug smile arching across his face.

_Boogey-man-do-you-need-a-better-nickname (or a disco outfit),_

_Actually, that's a good point, where did you get that name and do you even like it? You say it kind of weird, so I can't really tell._

_Anyway._

_I was thinking about fear today..._

His feelings about this letter had changed after his initial rage at its impudence. It was during the sixth read through that he saw the potential. A potential that would play into his full plan beautifully.

 _But… that all seems to be a matter of what people_ do _with fear._

"No, Jack, it's how one can _use_ it."

Ah! The perfect moment was here at last! He sprang to his feet.

Oh, this _was_ going to be _Fun_. Finally he could step on stage and steal the scene. Finally it was time to make a cameo appearance.

He concentrated and pulled the Scythe straight from MON, where only he could reach it. Relishing the weight of the smooth pole in his hand, he stretched his height to over eight feet without a thought. He then dropped swiftly into the shadows below him.

"Time to play the hero."

**-ROTG-**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack is all depressed and teary, "I make a mess wherever I go."
> 
> Author is all, "Mwahahaha, I make a mess wherever I go!"
> 
> Raja Jinn Peri and the Orang Bunian are mythological beings from Malay folklore, and I'm already finding myself rather attached to them. Like… I want plushies of them. Except they're invisible, so, how even.
> 
> Did you like the little taste of seeing Jack and Bunny's past? Are you curious about Jack's origins (because you are far from having the full story at this point)? And oh MAN, how did he get started with Sephi, anyway?!
> 
> And Pitch, what are you doing?!


End file.
